


Last of a Species

by CuriousLion



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-22
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2018-08-24 00:31:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 24,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8349190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CuriousLion/pseuds/CuriousLion
Summary: There is a lot missing from the Doctor and River's timeline. Who knows what they did together. The Doctor is the last of his kind. River Song isn't exactly a time lord but perhaps they could start a family. There are many obstacles that will come for the two of them in their decision but in the end it is worth it.





	1. Chapter 1

It was morning when River woke. She saw the Doctor sitting, in their bed, reading. He was using her mother’s reading glasses. He noticed her wake and closed his book. He turned to face the gorgeous green eyes looking up at him. “Good morning love. Care for some breakfast?” he asked as she sat up. “That would be lovely.” She replied. He traced a finger along her collarbone then tilted her chin up to give her a kiss. It was a quick kiss. River could see the energy blazing in the Doctor’s eyes. He leaped out of bed. “I’ll start on breakfast while you get dressed.” Then he was out of there. River shook her head. Having lots of energy was normal for him but in the morning he was bonkers. She went into the closet to find something to wear. “If only I knew where he was taking me today.” The Tardis hummed a response. “A sundress you say? You always know best.” River responded. 

She expected to find the Doctor in the high tech kitchen that they normally used. Instead she found him in the “old fashioned” one. She scratched her head. First her mother’s reading glasses and now the kitchen. He seemed to be in a sentimental mood today. When she walked in he was cooking the bacon. She watched as he plopped a strip of bacon in the pan then lunged a safe distance away as grease spattered and sizzled. “Sweetie it wouldn’t spatter so much if you turn the heat down.” River instructed him. “Oi I know what I am doing.” The Doctor replied defensively. River grabbed two plates out of the cupboard and set them on the table as she watched the Doctor. He cautiously checked on the eggs in the pan next to the bacon. His posture was tense as he peeked over the pan. Suddenly the toast popped at of the toaster next to him. He jumped back with a surprised yelp. River had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing. “Rubbish human technology. Hot, hot, hot!” he exclaimed, rushing the toast to the plates on the table. “Remind me why I even have one of those.” He resumed making breakfast as River finished setting the table. 

Minutes later the food was ready. The Doctor served the food while River poured the tea. As they began to eat, River pointed her fork at him. “Are you going to actually eat the bacon? Amy told me you didn’t like it.” The Doctor picked up a strip of bacon and examined it. “Right, well I haven’t it tried in a while.” He bit off a piece, testing it. It didn’t take too long before he spat it back out onto his napkin. “Nope, still disgusting.” River rolled her eyes. “Why did you make it?” “I don’t know. It seemed like the thing to do, make bacon with eggs. That’s what people make when they cook breakfast right?” River shrugged. “Well if you are not eating yours then more for me.” She took the two strips from his plate. “You aren’t going to spit out the toast too are you?” He frowned at her question. “No, the secret to toast is to put plenty of jam on it.” He smiled as he did just that. River ate the rest of her meal without pestering him. In fact, she thanked and complemented him on the meal “Ready?” The Doctor asked when they were both finished. “For what?” she replied, trying to get him to tell her his plans for the day. “An adventure.” He smugly replied. “It’s always an adventure being with you, Doctor.” River said sweetly. The Doctor read her playful gaze. “Nice try but you will have to wait till you step out the Tardis doors to find out where we are headed.” “Well then what are you waiting for? Let’s go. Set the Tardis to whatever destination you have in mind and let’s have some fun.” She said eagerly. He smiled at her enthusiasm. 

They stepped out of the Tardis. They had landed in the middle of a forest. The Tardis had been right to wear a sundress. The sun shone in the sky. The sky however was different. It was more of a turquoise color and the sun was more white than yellow. A pleasant aroma filled the air. The Doctor noticed her sniffing the air. “Eucalyptus trees.” He explained. “And what animal loves Eucalyptus?” He pushed some leafy branches aside, revealing another section of the forest. River spotted little gray animals with fuzzy white ears, among the trees. “Koala Bears! Where are we? This isn’t Earth is it?” She asked him. “Earth? No, can’t you taste the difference in the air? What about the difference in the revolution speed of the planet? No this place is much different than Earth.” He informed her. “Ok show off. I am sorry my senses are not as good as yours. I can’t taste the air or whatever but I did notice the different color of the sky and the star this planet orbits. Would you mind telling me where we are?” She said looking around. River didn’t like when he acted like a know-it-all. The Doctor walked into the part of the forest with the Koalas, motioning River to follow. “This planet used to be called Dashtatkak,” His voice clicking as he pronounced it. “Used to?” River said walking beside him. “Yes that is what the people on this planet called it 2 million years ago. Since then the planet has gone through a near collapse. It was nearly purged of any life, plant and animal. Only a few species survived. What we see now is after 2 million years of recovery.” He held her hand as motioned with his other one, explaining it to her. She listened as she watched the Koala Bears. They seemed curious about the Doctor and her and had moved lower in the trees to watch them. “How did the Koalas get to this planet? She asked. “What do you mean get to the planet? They are from here. If they can exist on Earth don’t you think the same evolution could happen elsewhere?” River supposed he was right. Why did he have to be so clever? It was true that he had seen more of the universe than her. “So the people died 2 million years ago? That would mean that unless a species evolved to take their place, there is no higher intelligence on the planet? Just plants and animals but nothing equivalent to humans.” He looked pleased with her response. “That is correct. Twenty years from now however, an alien species will discover this planet again and colonize it. Then they will probably rename the planet something different.” His tone was disapproving. “What will they name the planet?” she asked, knowing that he knew. “Hggghmmmaaa.” It sounded like he was clearing his throat. “What was it again?” she said, teasing him. He gave her an unconvincing glare.. “Come on. Enough with the history lesson. Now let’s do some exploring.” He wandered off as River went a different way. 

In the corner of her eye she spotted a koala climbing down closer to her. She watched as it slowly made its way down the tree. It stopped about three feet from her head. The Koala leaned its head toward her, intently watching her. River was just as curious. She had seen many miraculous things in her time, but she had never seen a Koala this close. She felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning around, she saw the Doctor standing there, holding a Koala. That man. He mystified her sometimes. How did he manage to coax a Koala to let him hold it so fast? She had turned around for five minutes. “You want to hold him? Koalas are quite cuddly and love affection.” The Doctor said. River held out her arms so he could place the Koala in them. The Koala clung to her dress. The fuzz on its ear, tickled her neck. She stared a while at the fuzzy gray creature that was cradled in her arms. “He likes you. Of course he is not sure about the lack of fur on both of us. They are quite curious. The Koalas have never seen anything like us before.” The Doctor rambled. “And how would you know what they are thinking?” River questioned. “I speak Koala. I speak everything remember?” He replied proudly. “Right.” She sighed in response. “What is that one saying?” she asked, referring to the Koala in the tree above her. The Doctor glanced up. “She says that she is a bit jealous that you are holding him instead of her. She says that she saw you first but was too shy.” River’s eyes softened at the Koala in the tree. She passed the Koala she held back to the Doctor. Seeing River move toward her, made the Koala scoot down the tree and into River’s arms. Once River had retrieved the little creature, the Doctor motioned her to follow him. He seemed to be examining the trees. Once he found the right tree he slid the Koala onto his back and started climbing. He reached the first branch and stopped. “Well what are you waiting for?” He called down to her. “I have never climbed a tree with a Koala attached to me. Plus, I am wearing a dress.” She complained. “Just do what I did and move the Koala to your back. Don’t worry they are good at hanging on and the dress? What’s so difficult about climbing a tree in a dress?” he wondered. River narrowed her eyes. “One of these days I will make you wear one and you can see for yourself.” 

Transferring the animal to her back, she proceeded to climb the tree. The lesser gravity of the planet made it much easier than she expected. Once she had reached the Doctor, he climbed higher. She followed right behind him and up into the forest canopy they went. The Doctor looked back to check his wife’s progress and couldn’t help staring when her dress slipped up her thigh. River noticed his pleased expression. “Enjoying the view.” She responded with a pleased expression of her own. His face flushed red and he continued to climb. From the canopy they had a view of the whole forest. The Doctor found them a comfortable place to sit and they held their Koalas in their laps. More Koalas had come to join them as they sat enjoying each other’s company. Among the trees flew colorful birds and River could hear a waterfall nearby. “This is a beautiful place.” She commented. "Hmm it is. Too bad it won't last." the Doctor replied. River wasn't surprised. Good things never seemed to last. "What happens." she asked. He sighed with the weight of what he knew. "In about 20 years, that alien race I mentioned will come and destroy the forest and the koalas will go extinct." River's fingertips traced circles through the soft gray fur of the koala in her lap. "They are the last of their species then." She said sadly. They sat in silence, enjoying what would soon be gone. It was a beautiful moment. River realized life with the Doctor was the same, beautiful yet tragic. 

Once they got back to the Tardis, the Doctor motioned to the controls. "Alright Dr. Song. Where to next?" River leaned on the console. "Oh let's go steal something." The Doctor rubbed his chin nervously. "Right that's not really your thing." River said after seeing his uncomfortable gesture. "Perhaps an Archaeology adventure instead." She set the controls then stepped out of the Tardis, the Doctor following behind. The location they had landed in was vacant. There was not a soul around. The area looked inhabitable. The buildings were mostly rubble. Vegetation had reclaimed everything. The Doctor looked around hesitantly. It looked familiar. He had been here before. He wasn't sure though if he was in the future or the past. River went to work right away. The Doctor didn't understand her desire to pursue Archaeology. She was a time traveler. What was the point of studying history when you could live it? His best guess was that it was a game to her, a puzzle. Whatever the reason, she was good at it. He watched her pop from structure to structure with her scanner, gathering information. She could sense he was watching her, trying to figure her out. She traced her fingers over a carving in a chunk of stone. She didn't expect him to understand. Some people like to study the storm, others the aftermath of the storm. She was interested in the remains history left behind, in what he left behind. 

Her scanner picked up traces of radioactive material. She pulled aside some vegetation to find a metal cylinder. "Doctor, come look at this." She called. "It looks like a-" "A missile." He finished for her. "I assume you know what happened then." She said with a hardness in her voice. "No I just know a missile when I see one." He replied taking a closer look at the metal object. It was a lie of course and River knew it. She went along anyway. "My scanner picked up traces of radioactive material. I am guessing this was a nuclear missile. It probably wiped out who ever lived here." The Doctor shrugged but the look on his eyes told her she was right. "I am going to look around some more sweetie." River told him before walking away. The Doctor did some investigating of his own. Memories of the place came flooding back to him. He remembered the people, the way they cared for each other, their smiles. Now they were gone. Another civilization becoming nothing more than a memory. The Doctor couldn't handle it anymore and went back to the Tardis. He fiddled around with some old gadgets while he waited for River. 

It was a couple of hours later when River returned to the Tardis. She found her husband sitting cross-legged, surrounded by machine parts. "What happened? Get bored?" she asked. "Something like that." he responded. His focus was on the object in his hand that he was fixing. He looked up at her after a long moment of silence. She was watching him with her head tilted. "How about some supper? Fish fingers and custard?" He suggested. She smiled and nodded. "That sounds lovely. If you don't mind though I need to write up a report on my findings." "No problem. I'll make supper and bring it to you." The Doctor responded, collecting up his project. It didn't take long for the Doctor to whip up his favorite meal. He walked through the halls of the Tardis to River's study carrying their food. River's study was full of shelves of books and scrolls. Fossils and artifacts took up most of the remaining space. On the back wall was where River sat, at her desk. Papers and folders surrounded her. She moved some to make room for the food the Doctor had brought. She took a bite before continuing her writing. 

The Doctor sat enjoying his fish fingers and custard while he watched his wife. Her blonde curls bounced as she looked from her paper to her scanner and back. He hoped that he could maintain the courage to ask her what had been on his mind. He had tried to make today a special day. He had one last thing in mind. "Library?" He asked after she was done with work and supper. They had made it a habit to read books with each other each night they were together. So there they were laying side by side in a pile of pillows. It was a strangely soft scene to find two people like River and the Doctor in but yet here they were. The Doctor finished the chapter he had read out loud and closed the book. He turned his head to smile lovingly at River. She was snuggled close, their noses inches apart. Without breaking his gaze, he pointed his sonic screwdriver at the ceiling. A projection of outer space that was just outside the Tardis appeared. River turned her head to look at the beautiful stars and galaxies. He gently took her hand as they gazed at the stars.

A few minutes passed before River spoke softly. "Doctor, what is it you want?" He winced. She saw right through him. "Why would you say that?" "I know you. All the sentimental things today, breakfast, the koalas, fish fingers and custard, and now this." She said gesturing to the ceiling of stars. "I am sentimental that's all." The Doctor shifted uncomfortably as he responded. River shrugged. "Fine. Whatever you say." The Doctor waited a moment. "River have you ever thought about being a mother?" He held his breath waiting for her reaction. "Pardon me?" She seemed more shocked than angry. "You want children? You have already been a father. You want to go through that again? Why?" He struggled to respond. "You see... Well I...we. Those koalas..they were the last of their kind just like us. I thought maybe we could...I was the one who destroyed the Time Lords and I feel a sense of duty to make sure the race lives on. I don't want to pressure you into anything so I-" River covered his mouth with her hand to get him to stop rambling. She didn't say anything. She just stared blankly, lost in thought. Suddenly anger flashed into her eyes. "This is why you showed me the Koalas. Is this why you married me? So I can bare you children, repopulate the time lord race? This was your plan all along." She accused. He sat up panicking. "No. Goodness no. River that is not at all why I married you. I fell in love with you. I am still madly in love with you. This is why I am asking you this. There is no one else I would want to be the mother of my children than you, my wife." It wasn't often that he bore his heart to her like that. He must really mean it. River calmed down. She thought about the idea. It actually sounded nice. There we're a few problems though. "Doctor I wouldn't be opposed to the idea but I don't think it will work. How would we raise it? Our lives are running in the opposite directions. I spend most of my days in prison, we both end up on crazy adventures and danger follows us everywhere. We aren't fit to raise a child. What kind of life would it have? Not to mention the danger it would be in just by being our child. Remember what happened to me?" She paused in her discussion. "I won't let that happen to any child of mine." Her voice quivered a bit. The Doctor had already thought about all that. "I'll admit I don't have all the answers but between you and me we can figure it out. You and me, we have done the impossible before." River chewed her lip. "I guess we would have 9 months to work out the plan. Let me think about it okay sweetie." The Doctor pulled her back down by his side. He kissed her forehead and they lay watching the stars.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> River needs a distraction. Having a baby was not something she had ever planned. She eventually accepts the future.

River wanted to do something reckless, something to keep her from thinking. She couldn't handle thinking right now. The Doctor had asked her to have a baby with him. Yeah something needed to be blown up today. Something needed to happen.

River strapped on her vortex manipulator and thought of the best place to go. The third moon of Jeppa was always a place of chaos. The planet Hjat was a good choice too with its ever shifting gravitational pull. She could borrow a space cruiser and race the Oort cloud comet speed way. That had enough danger about it to keep her preoccupied. The speed way was located on an asteroid belt. Imagine zooming through space while avoiding giant hunks of rocks. The winner earned a fortune and River did like shiny things. 

She went back to the idea of blowing something up. That appealed more to her at the moment. She typed in the coordinates into her vortex manipulator and was transported to a alleyway. She strolled down the sketchy alleyway to find the place she was looking for. She entered the back door of the shop. A dog like animal was positioned in the corner. It had dark blue and black fur. It's fur bristled making it resemble a hedgehog. The thing barked at her as she entered. River knew the animal was used as a guard dog but was actually a big softy. A bald man wearing a tank top appeared behind the counter. His beefy arms and strange tattoos discouraged any idea of taking him on in a fight. 

"Ah one of my prized customers. What can I do for you?" The man greeted River. "I would like some powerful explosives if you have any." She requested. "If I have any? Oh boy do I have explosives. What sort of power are you looking for?" he replied. River gave him her request without giving too much away about what she intended with the explosives. The man was a black market trader so he didn't bother her with unnecessary questions. As long as he made money he stayed out of people's business.  River thanked him for the purchase and returned to the alleyway. She saw a motorbike parked not too far away. She decided she needed that as well. 

She typed in new coordinates and was now on top of a volcano. The place around the volcano was vacant. This section of the planet was empty of any people so if a volcano happened to erupt, it wouldn't matter. River set to work placing the explosives. They were timed so she could get a safe distance away. She positioned each explosive in the creator so they would set off an eruption. She stroked the last explosive tenderly before putting it in position. "Ah nothing like a little fun with explosions to brighten your day." She laughed to herself. 

She was focused on setting the device when a terrifying sound bursted in her eardrums. River jumped out of her skin. One of the bombs had gone off. She swore loudly as the ground shook. It wasn't supposed to go off yet. Less than thirty seconds and a second one exploded. The motorbike was some distance away. River bolted straight for it. Another explosion. She almost lost her footing as the ground trembled. A crack in the creator opened up in her path. River saw a glimpse of lava and felt the intense heat. She jumped over the small gap and continued running. 

When she reached the motorbike, the creator began cracking even more. She figured she had little time before lava started spewing. She revved the engine and headed down the side of the volcano. Despite the danger, she laughed with enjoyment. This was the adrenaline high she had been seeking. She got to the treeline when the ground shook so hard it affected her ability to steer. She stopped to look back when an earsplitting boom froze her in her tracks. A geyser of red and orange soared high into the sky. The roaring sound was deafening. Thick puffs of smoke expanded from the eruption. She began to regret her idea. "Brilliant, just brilliant. Great idea, blow up a volcano because the idea of having a baby scares you." River reprimanded herself. It was a race against the volcano.

Chunks of rock and splatters of lava rained down around her as she zigzagged through the trees. A whistling sound came from above. A large chunk of partially molten rock crashed into the ground just feet in front of her, causing her to swerve. The bike slid and hit a tree stump. River was thrown off and rolled into the bushes. 

As she had hit the ground she had heard something snap. Her right arm seemed to be what had broken. Shock and adrenaline numbed the pain though and she hardly noticed. She was more concerned about getting far away from the ash and lava coming straight for her. Thick puffs of smoke and ash enveloped her as she picked up the bike and got on. She pulled her shirt over her mouth and nose so she could breath. It was a difficult few miles to safety to drive. Her broken arm made steering hard and lack of breathable air was making her dizzy. 

Finally she had out run the smoke and reached a safe distance from any flowing lava. She staggered off the bike and flopped onto the ground. She watched the volcano continue to erupt as the shock began to wear out. As she marveled at the volcano, she realized now the pain in her arm. The rest of her body ached too and she wondered if she had fractured a rib as well. Coughing hurt like crazy. Her body still demanded her to clear the smoke from her lungs though so coughing had to occur. 

She had to admit that what she had done was pretty stupid. Granted, the bombs had gone off too soon and made the ordeal much more dangerous than she had planned, but still. River sat facing the volcano, thinking, the very thing she wanted to avoid. 

She didn't have to think for too long though before she was interrupted. "Mind if I join you?" A familiar voice asked. River wondered how he knew she was here and if he knew what had just happened. She spun around bewildered. Ouch, she moved to fast. She tried not to wince. It was him but he looked different. He wore a different suit. Still had a bowtie. The Doctor settled down next to her. "How did you know where to find me?" River asked. "You told me." His reply was simple. "Okay how much older are you than the you I just saw last night. I am assuming you remember what happened last night." She asked the future Doctor. 

The Doctor reached out and wiped a smudge of dirt from her forehead. "How hurt are you this time." He asked her. For a second River wasn't sure if he meant her physical injuries from the escape or the emotional conflict that had put her in this position. "I'll be fine." she assured him. He didn't put up an argument. "Doctor, why are you here?" It wasn't that she wasn't happy to see him,if anything it was a comfort to have him there but, she suspected there was a bigger reason. 

He locked his gaze with hers and grinned. "I have to tell you something, something wonderful. Gallifrey isn't gone. It still exists! I have yet to actually find it but when I do I won't be the last Time Lord anymore. There will be others." He exclaimed. River couldn't believe it. It seemed impossible. This was wonderful news, to have a burden like that lifted from him. He could be with his people again. She was grinning just as wide as him now. "Oh Doctor, I can't believe it. That is wonderful. That's, that's a major spoiler. Why would you come back and tell me that now?" 

She was beginning to piece the clues together. His expression changed to serious. "I wanted you to know that we aren't the last of our kind anymore. You don't have to do what I asked last night. I am relieving you of that burden." River broke from his gaze to stare out at the fuming volcano. 

His words surprisingly hurt. River thought that hearing that would be a relief but it felt like he was taking something from her. The truth of it all hit her and her eyes snapped back to look at the Doctor. "You are from our future, are you not. You know what happens. I know you wouldn't try to erase a person as important as our child from history. Telling me about Gallifrey isn't to stop us from having a baby is it? It is just the opposite. You know what will happen don't you." She wanted him to tell her the answer, to tell her about the future she and him shared. 

He stared right into her, the knowledge of their future blazing in his eyes. "Doctor, please tell me. Do we have a child?" She pleaded. He looked at her with such love and devotion. "Spoilers." he told her. A lump formed in River's throat, preventing her from saying anything. No words were needed though. The Doctor wiped a tear that had escaped her eye. Something had changed with her. Suddenly being mother someday was the best news. Seeing the happy expression on his face and knowing the events that would occur to create that made her overcome with emotion. 

River looked up again at him and suddenly the flood gates were opened. She wept openly. It was the ugly raw crying that no one was allowed to see except him. She tried so hard to keep the damage hidden even from him but this was the future Doctor. He probably had seen the worst of her already. The Doctor pulled her to him and let her cry. River noticed that it was different than when he had held her before. His body was more ridged, more tense. It was like he was holding back. He didn't melt around her like usual. She was focused more on what he had just revealed to her though so she brushed it off. 

She sat up and sighed once she had recovered from her breakdown. "You better get back, he will be missing you." The future Doctor advised. "Wait I don't want him, you, to see me like this. He will be upset. I am pretty sure the arm is broken and not sure if any ribs are as well. Can I step into the Tardis med bay and get fixed up?" River asked as she got to her feet. The Doctor shook his head. "Sorry but no. The arm is broken but no ribs are. I remember. I remember this day quite well, the rest of the week too for that matter. We um well." He blushed. His eyes held a mischievous look as he fumbled with his hands. River caught what he was implying. "Aren't you a lucky fellow." she teased. "Yeah I am." His reply was genuine. "Good bye my love." River said softly as she pulled him in for their goodbye kiss. 

The future Doctor watched River teleport then stepped into his Tardis. He closed the door and slumped to the ground. He buried his face in his hands and cried. It was his turn to lose control of his tears. It had been so hard to see her again, to hold her. Last time he had seen her, she was nothing more than a ghost. The experience of seeing the projection of River last time brought her death back in his face. It had effected him tremendously. 

Now he had gotten to see her again and boy was she alive. She was so alive. She was still young and reckless. Seeing her so vulnerable, covered in ash and dirt, broken arm and everything, melted his heart. River Song, the woman who would blow up a volcano because she wanted to then fall apart in his arms because she found out she would be a mother someday. 

He had been so afraid to hold her, afraid that he would break down too. That couldn't have happened. She had needed him to be strong in that moment. It was wonderful but painful to hold the one you love close when you know they are really gone. At least he had the memories. Those memories that the River he had just seen would get to live through. He would see her again, he told himself. He had yet to take her to the Towers of Delleruim.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> River finds out she is pregnant

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not super proud of this chapter but here it is anyway. It is short too. Don't worry it gets better.

Last of a species Ch 3  
River paced back and forth in her cell. Two months. Two months she had gone without her monthly cycle. She had reason to believe she was pregnant. She was glad that the Doctor had no reason to suspect anything. As far as he knew she was still on birth control trying to decide if they should have a baby or not. She had made her decision that day she had spoken with the future Doctor. She hadn't mentioned anything to the present Doctor. She knew if he knew they were trying for a baby that he would annoy the crap out of her by constantly checking if she was pregnant or not. He would be a nervous wreck like she was at the moment. 

She had to get a pregnancy test but where? She had to be careful. No one must know about the pregnancy and about their child. They both had plenty of enemies that would love to use that against them. The Tardis would be the best place to test. She just had to do it without the Doctor knowing. She wanted to be able to surprise him. 

As if on cue, the Tardis materialized. She walked in to see the Doctor dressed in a tux, fixing his hair. "Hello River, ready for a night out?" "Well don't you look dashing." River complemented him. His bow tie wasn't done up yet so River did it for him. "You and bowties." she said patting the bowtie once she was done. "I hope you don't mind, I picked out something for you to wear." the Doctor said showing her a silk dark blue dress. "Sweetie I love it." River approved.

They spent the night dancing. River had so much fun she nearly forgot about her earlier anxiety. Watching the Doctor dance could lift her spirits anytime. They were too tired to read that night so they went straight to bed. 

River waited till the Doctor was asleep before getting up. He woke when he felt her get up. "I'm just going to the bathroom." she assured him. She went into the bathroom and closed the door. She opened the cabinet looking for a pregnancy test. She didn't find one and didn't expect to. She closed the cabinet. As soon as she did a humming sound, came from the cabinet. Confused, she opened the cabinet again. Sitting there was a small box that read pregnancy test. The Tardis had just provided one for her. "Bless." she whispered to the Tardis. She took calming breaths while she waited for the results. She hoped the Doctor didn't notice her long absence. She looked at the results that finally appeared. She dropped the test, her hands were shaking so much.

Pregnant. That's what the results read. River was so excited she had to put her hand over her mouth to keep from shouting for joy. She allowed herself a few more seconds of private celebration before climbing back into bed. She curled up close to her husband. She couldn't wait to tell him he would be a father again. 

In the morning the Doctor woke and made his way to the bathroom. He noticed something sitting on the counter. He picked it up and realized what it was and what it read. "River." He shouted. He opened the door to find River standing there beaming. "River? Is this.. Are you?" He stumbled over his words. She leaned in and placed her hands over his that were still holding the test. "Yes." The Doctor started laughing excitedly. He picked her up and spun her around. Both of them exclaiming their joy. 

When he put her down he turned serious. "How do you feel? Do you feel funny? Do you feel sick?" River shook her head. "I feel fine Doctor, I really do." His smile reappeared. "I am rather hungry though. Would you mind making some breakfast before you take me back to stormcage?" She asked. He did as she asked and then landed the Tardis back in River's prison. She could see how hard it was for him to leave her here. "Come back soon Sweetie." she urged him. 

He did come back a week later. "Say goodbye to this place for a while." The Doctor told her looking around her cell. River thought about the plan they had discussed. "Will it really work? How long can I be gone? Won't it mess things up?" She rambled as she packed her things. The Doctor helped her with the packing. "No it won't mess with the time stream, if that's what you mean. We can run away for years and return no more than a day later. They won't have any idea what you have been up to." He assured her. 

All of her things were now in the Tardis. "But eventually I will have to return. Once it is over we will have to carry on in this time stream like nothing happened." She said. The Doctor drooped his head. He looked up at her through his floppy bangs. "Yeah." he admitted to the fact. 

"Your doing a good job of convincing me we've made a mistake." she responded. "We don't know what we are doing. Are we going to live in the Tardis? Create disguises and live on some planet? Are we going to still travel and go on adventures after the baby is born because I don't think running from monsters with a baby strapped to me is wise. What about keeping a Time Lord child a secret. How many years will we get to raise it and-" River wanted to go on and on but the Doctor stopped her with a kiss. "River trust me it will be fine. It may work out how we want or it could not. Sometimes it is ok to not be certain about the future. No matter what though this," he placed his hands over her still flat stomach, "this is not a mistake." His certainty gave her strength. "You're right Doctor. Why would I expect anything less than another adventure with you. I look forward to it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and River go on a little shopping trip and of course end up around trouble.

River found herself walking through the halls of the University. Some part of her mind thought it odd that she was here. She kept walking anyway. The familiar musky scent filled her nostrils as her heels clicked down the empty hallway. One of the rooms was open so she peeked inside. It was empty except for a baby cradle. She recognized it. It had been hers and would be used by her baby as well. Being reminded of her baby, River placed a hand over her stomach. What she found was not what she expected. There was no pregnancy bump. Confused she searched the cradle for her missing baby. There was nothing to be found. 

She rushed out of the room in a panic to find herself in the orphanage she used to live in. Madame Korvarian stood there smiling a nasty smile. The Silence flanked the evil woman. One of the Silence pointed to something. River turned to see what it was. It was her parents, Amy and Rory. She rushed towards them but her legs wouldn't move. She looked down to see the problem. The reason she couldn't move heightened her fear even more. She was in the spacesuit. The same wretched suit she had been put in twice. She fought against the suit to reach her parents. They didn't seem to notice her. They turned and began walking away. "Amy! Rory! Mum! Please hear me. Dad!" River shouted for them but nothing happened. She screamed and fought to be free of the suit. 

River was shooken awake by the Doctor. He had been awoken when she started shouting. As with all her nightmares, she awoke in a panic. The Doctor calmed her down. "Another nightmare?" he asked as he held her close. She nodded. "Care to tell me about it?" He asked. River took a while to respond. "It was just the same old stuff. I'll tell you it's this stupid pregnancy that's bringing on all these nightmares." She wiped her eyes and sighed. 

They lay there together until River groaned. "That and the morning sickness." She moved quickly to make it to the bathroom. The Doctor followed. He gathered up her wild mess of curls to keep them out of the way while River's head hung over the toilet. The Doctor winced as River heaved up the contents of her stomach. He rubbed her back sympathetically. "Doctor please don't touch me right now." River grumbled. The Doctor withdrew his hand. River had snapped at him but she was better than she was the first week of morning sickness. Back then she refused to even let him in the bathroom. "I think I will feel better after a shower." River said. The Doctor left her alone to attend to other things while she showered. 

River found the shower soothing as it seemed to wash away the nightmare and nauseousness. She wrapped in a towel and searched for something to wear. This part of getting ready had become her least favorite. Slowly everything she owned had become too tight to wear. For some reason though she didn't want to give in and buy bigger clothing. She pulled out her last pair of pants that fit and put them on. She struggled to do them up. She sucked in and pulled the fabric harder around her extended belly. It was no use. They didn't fit anymore. She huffed in defeat. Her only options were a few dresses that were close to not fitting as well. Frustrated, River, decided that she needed new clothes. 

"Doctor!" she shouted. The Doctor walked and was surprised to see River standing in her underwear. Naturally his eyes feasted on her beauty. "Yes River?" his voice squeaked a bit. "Doctor, I need new clothes. I am too fat now to fit in anything." River said exasperated. "Your not fat your pregnant." The Doctor assured her. "Either way you are taking me shopping." She insisted. "Very well dear but you will attract a lot of attention like that." The Doctor gestured to her revealing attire. "I'll wear clothes you idiot. I still have a couple of dresses." River replied. She stepped into the closest then stepped out. "Wait. How are we going to avoid anyone recognizing us. We can't let anyone know that I am pregnant." "Don't worry I have a couple of reality disruptor devices that we will wear. They will disguise our true identity." The Doctor explained. 

They walked through the mall. It was no ordinary Earth mall of course. Many different intergalactic species came here for their clothing needs. River pulled her husband into a shop that looked promising. The shop assistant greeted them and noticed River's baby bump. "Can I help you find anything?" The lady asked politely. River placed a hand on her stomach. "Yes actually. I seem to have outgrown my old clothes. Could you direct us to the maternity section." The lady smiled warmly then led them to the proper section. 

"How far along are you?" The shop lady asked River as she pulled some clothing options from the racks. "Five months." River replied as she held up a pair of pants, examining them. She looked through the ones that the shop lady had given her to look at too. The Doctor sighed. He looked bored. "Sweetie why don't you look at the other shops while I try on clothes." River suggested. Letting him wander was probably a bad idea but she let him go anyway. 

River had always been fond of shopping. She loved wearing fabulous outfits and looking amazing. This shopping trip was much less fun. She wanted to hurry it up and find something to eat. She was getting hungry. Of course now days it seemed like she was always hungry. 

It didn't seem like too long before River heard a commotion. Following the sounds of panic and screaming, was the Doctor shouting her name. She was in the fitting room in the middle of trying on clothes so she could only guess what was going on. The Doctor's voice grew louder as well as his hurried footsteps until he was in the fitting room. "River? Which stall are you in? We have a problem." River quickly pulled him in to her stall then finished putting on the pants she was trying on. 

"What did you do?" She asked, rolling her eyes. The Doctor frowned. "Why would you assume it was me?" River shrugged as she examined the new pants in the mirror. "I know how much you like poking things with a stick and it wasn't me this time so who?" She turned this way and that. "What do you think of these pants?" The Doctor took a quick glance at her pants. "They look great. Now can we focus on the issue that has put people in this mall in danger?" 

River sighed and turned towards him. "Okay let's hear it. Probably will have more fun dealing with that than shopping at the moment." " It's a gang of Argolins that have taken over the mall. They seem to have recruited some Autons to aid them in their mall robbery." he told her. 

River had opened up the stall as he was explaining and they walked out to an empty shop. Everyone must have fled. "They sound like a handful but I think we can take them." She boosted. The Doctor had another idea. "I think we should return to the Tardis. It would be safer." River shot him a look of bewilderment. "You're just going to leave? These people are in danger. This isn't like you. You always try your best to help. You protect people. This is because of me isn't it? It's because I am pregnant. Doctor I am fine. Now let's do something about these Argolins." River strutted through the vacant store towards the exit forcing the Doctor to follow. He knew there was no persuading her to leave. 

They peeked out of the store to see what was out there. The panicked people had disappeared and now an eerie silence hung in the air. The Doctor grabbed River by the arm to get her attention. "Right, okay. If we are going to do this then we need a plan. First we should spy out the criminals and see if they have any hostages. We need to stop the robbers from leaving the mall." River was happy to see him change his mind. "Ready?" She asked. He nodded. "Then let's get to work." She replied, the enthusiasm vibrating in her voice. 

They carefully scouted the mall looking for the aliens behind the mall takeover. They didn't find them right away but instead found something else. "Look." River pointed. One of the shops had been locked up. They could see people locked inside. The Doctor used his sonic screwdriver to unlock the door and ushered the crowd out. "Come on then. Out of the mall. Get to safety." he instructed them. The crowd did as told but were not quiet about it. River and the Doctor knew that the noise would attract unwanted attention from the gang. 

Sure enough, a group of Autons came marching toward River and the Doctor, moving as fast as their plastic bodies would allow. "Run!" The Doctor shouted. The two of them took off to escape the living mannequins and their hand guns. The Doctor noticed River falling behind. Her pregnancy was slowing her down. She couldn't run as fast as she once could. Sparks flew as a shot hit the wall just inches were River had been. The Doctor used his sonic screwdriver to disable the guns. He grabbed River by the hand and pulled her along. 

A few clever turns through the mall and they lost their pursuers. They found a few other shops that had people trapped inside and stopped to help them out. They warned the people to stay quiet as they left the mall. Now that there were no more hostages, they searched for the Argolins. The Doctor was eager to end the robbery quickly to prevent any more chances of River getting hurt. He figured the robbers would be heading towards the back exit to make their escape. He also figured that some sort of police or law enforcement officials should be waiting outside. They just had to make sure the two groups intercepted. 

The Doctor made his way alone to the back exit, hoping to run into the Argolins. He had a plan. The Argolins were swiftly making their way to the back exits. The Doctor pointed his sonic screwdriver at the doors. The first Argolin reached the door to find it locked. He turned and shouted angrily at the Doctor for locking them in. The Doctor chuckled, which angered the robbers even more. The Doctor with a frightened expression, ran the other way. The raged Argolins chased him towards the front of the mall. 

River stood by the front doors, watching her husband being chased. The Doctor skidded to a halt a few feet from her. The Argolins stopped and raised their weapons at the Doctor and River. "There are only two of you and six of us. Surrender and perhaps you won't get hurt." One Argolin said. The Doctor made a face. "That deal doesn't sound too promising." "Then you die." The Argolin shouted as he raised his blaster. 

"Halt!" a deep voice commanded. A squad of Judoon rushed out of hiding and surrounded the robbers. The Argolins had no choice but to surrender as they were pinned down by the Judoons. The Doctor winked at River. Their plan had gone smoothly. While the Doctor had lured the criminals, River had gotten the police, which in this case were Judoons. The Doctor informed the Judoons about the Autons before wrapping an arm around River's waist and leading them back to the Tardis. 

"Thank goodness that didn't take too long. I am famished. We should grab the new clothes on the way. That was the whole reason we came here." The Tardis was not too far from the shop the clothes were in. They didn't make it to either before River stopped. The Doctor looked down to see why she had stopped. Her face had turned awfully pale. "River?" he asked cautiously. Her eyes rolled back as her legs gave out from underneath her. The Doctor moved to catch her. "River!" he said with more urgency. He scooped her up and hurried to the Tardis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so I hope the nightmare part gives you some chills/emotions. I wanted this chapter to have adventure mixed in with domestically. Curious to know what is wrong with River? Hold tight till the next chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a health scare, the Doctor and River find out more about the nature of their baby. River feels the baby kick for the first time.

He set her down in the Tardis Med Bay. He checked her all over for signs of injury. He couldn't figure out what had made her faint. It could have been all the excitement and exertion that she had been though. She did mention that she was starving. Perhaps her blood sugar was low and her body just needed food. He feared it was something serious. 

He rushed to the library as fast as he could and grabbed the stack of books he had set aside on Time Lord pregnancies. He hurried back to the med bay with the stack in his arms. He skimmed through the books, trying to find answers. He stopped on a particular page. "I wonder." He thought aloud. He turned on the ultrasound. Gently he pulled up River's shirt to expose her belly. He ran the ultrasound device over it. He examined the screen and drew in a breath. There was their baby, still developing. It was a Time Lord. It had to be since it had two hearts. 

The Doctor tore his eyes from the screen to look back at the book. He studied what it said with a finger running across the page as he read. He looked once more at the screen. Two hearts. That explains things. He was glad River's fainting was not from a serious issue. He sighed and smiled as he looked from his wife back to the electronic image of their baby. 

He turned off the ultrasound and pulled River's shirt back down. He gave her an IV to restore her body's nutrients until she could wake up and eat. He put a blanket over her and let her rest. Settling in a chair nearby he read through the rest of the books in the stack while he waited for her to wake. 

River slowly took in her surroundings as she woke. She gathered that she was in the Tardis Med Bay. What had happened? The Doctor sat not far away, reading. She squinted to see what he was reading. It was one of the books he had about Time Lord pregnancy. Was he worried? Was there something wrong with her or the baby? She sat up. Her head felt like it was spinning. The Doctor came to stand in front of her. She reached out to use him for support. She was pretty shaky. 

"What happened?" She asked. "You fainted." The Doctor replied. "How long have I been out?" "An hour or so." "I see you have been doing some reading while I was out." She pointed at the books. He nodded. "You fainted and I was worried it was a result of your pregnancy." "And what did you find out?" River was nervous that something was wrong. 

The Doctor rested his hands on her stomach. "I did an ultrasound. Our baby is a Time Lord. At least I am pretty sure. It has two hearts. We will see if it has all the other qualities of a Time Lord when it is born. You know like regeneration energy and what not." "A Time Lord?" River said to pause him before he started rambling. "Yes. River you are not a full Time Lord. I was concerned about the possible dangers of you carrying a full Time Lord baby. I had no way of knowing what would happen because someone like you hasn't existed before, at least not to my knowledge. Our baby has two hearts. That means it pumps twice as much more blood than you. It is draining you of nutrients much more than an average pregnancy would. It isn't much of an issue, we just need to make sure you are getting enough to eat." 

River sat thinking about what he had told her. She was relived to know that the problem wasn't serious. "Two hearts? Could you tell if it was a boy or girl?" she asked. "Want to see for yourself?" He asked with a twinkle in his eye. She nodded. He prepared the ultrasound. 

Once again the screen showed an image of a developing fetus. The Doctor pointed out the two hearts. River could hardly believe that what she was seeing was inside of her. "She is a healthy little girl." The Doctor revealed the gender to her. River's face shone with amazement. She took the Doctor's hand and squeezed it. Her smile faded though. She felt like she was going to faint again. "Doctor." she said with a weak voice. The Doctor knew she needed food. "Wait here. I'll be back in a jiffy." 

River felt energy flooding back to her as she ate. The image of their baby on the ultrasound occupied her mind's eye and her hand subconsciously rested on her belly. "Will she be like you or more like Jenny?" She asked the Doctor. The Doctor had been thinking the same thing. Jenny had been his daughter. She wasn't really a Time Lord though, more like an echo of one. Jenny had two hearts but had died without regenerating. 

"I don't know." He shrugged. "Like I said, we will have to wait until it is born to really know." River nodded absently. She felt much better now that she had eaten. She tried standing. She felt fine. She looked down and remembered that she was wearing the new maternity pants. "Sweetie did you grab the clothes we bought at the mall?" The Doctor gave her a look. "I was a little more worried about you and making sure you were okay." River raised her eyebrows. The Doctor caved to her investigating  stare. "They're in our room on the bed." He gave her a half smile. River gave him a kiss on the cheek. He took such good care of her. She knew that he would take good care of their daughter too. 

It was about a week later and River lay in bed unable to sleep. No position seemed comfortable to her. Frustrated, she switched to her side again. She stared at the silhouettes of the dark bedroom, her mind wandering. 

Suddenly she felt something move inside her. It surprised her. It was such a small movement she wondered if she imagined it. She held still waited for the movement to happen again. It did. Excitement blossomed through her. She touched the spot on her stomach were she had felt the movement. River lightly shook the Doctor. "Sweetie." she whispered. "Hmm." The Doctor blinked his eyes open. "Sweetie, I felt her kick." The Doctor became more alert. "Really?" 

He scooted down so that his face was closer to her belly. "Hello little girl. So your moving around now huh? Atta girl. Mommy and daddy are so excited to meet you." He rested a hand on her belly waiting to feel a kick. "Nothing. I don't think she likes me." He joked. River rolled her eyes. The Doctor pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her. "Goodnight sweetie." he whispered into her hair. Wrapped in his embrace and heart warmed by feeling the presence of their daughter, River fell asleep and slept peacefully.  


	6. Chapter 6

He found her in the nursery, standing over the cradle. Soon their baby would make use of that cradle. River looked deep in thought. The Doctor wondered what she was thinking about. He slipped a hand around her waist and gave her a small kiss on her temple. 

His actions brought her out of her thoughts. "We are running out of time aren't we?" She said with a sad smile. The Doctor's brow furrowed in confusion. She continued. "We can't raise her. I don't see how it is possible. We can't be a normal family. We don't even have a normal home with a house." River was getting emotional, something that happened much more often lately. 

The Doctor spoke to ease her distress. "Would you like a house? I can get us one. We can live somewhere safe and sound. We can raise her and be there for her first steps, her first word, the first time she gets grounded for using the Tardis without permission. We don't have to miss any of it." River ran her fingers over the smooth wood of the cradle. "I would like that Doctor but that is not you and that is not me. We don't do domestically. As much as we think we could, it wouldn't work." The Doctor shrugged. "I am willing to give it a shot. I have lived a long time and had many adventures. Perhaps it is time for me to settle down for a bit." 

River pondered his words. "Where would we live? Where would she be safest? Gallifrey?" The Doctor rubbed his chin. "We would have to find Gallifrey first. No I have several places where we could live that would keep us safe from any enemies that we have. There is always the Tardis too if living in a house cramps our style." River shared his uneasiness about a domestic lifestyle but wanted to give her daughter something she never really had. "Alright then, shall we go check out some real estate?" River pulled the Doctor along. "Our next adventure." he mused. 

The Doctor sat in a living room across from Madame Vastra sipping tea. "So River mentioned you two are looking for a house." The lizard woman casually stated. The Doctor shifted his tea cup on the saucer. "Well we didn't find anything that perked our interest. We figured there was no hurry. We have the Tardis until she is old enough to get into trouble. Perhaps when she starts walking we will find a place." Madame Vastra nodded in response. 

Jenny, Madame Vastra's wife, appeared from the kitchen with a plate of Jammy Doggers. "Oh!" the Doctor exclaimed, taking a few. "Where's River?" he asked before stuffing a Jammy Dogger in his mouth. "Strax is showing her his weapons collection." Jenny replied, pouring herself some tea. "Oh she will like that. Hope she doesn't get any ideas about firing any weapons though." The Doctor sipped some of his tea. 

"Quite exciting, you two having a baby. I am rather surprised though and have to ask, was it planned?" Jenny was curious. "Jenny!" Madame Vastra blurted, shocked by her wife's forwardness. Jenny shrugged sheepishly. The Doctor didn't mind the question. "Yes it was planned. Well mostly. My idea, she made the decision." 

They heard Strax's voice as he and River entered the room. He was going off about some battle he had been in. His story faded as they joined the others. "Strax would you mind pouring River Song some tea?" Madame Vastra implored. "Certainly." Strax replied, pouring a cuppa for River and handing it to her. "Thank you Strax. Also thank you Jenny and Vastra. We appreciate you willing to be our midwives." River said. Vastra gave a nod in return. "River do you feel the baby kick a lot?" Jenny was curious. She had always been curious about what it felt like to be pregnant. River nodded and put a hand over her stomach. "This child hardly holds still. Makes sense though it being his and mine." She gave the Doctor a smile. 

They sat in silence sipping tea before Vastra spoke up. "Pardon me for asking but, would you two like to help us solve a case? You might get to use a gun."  River perked up at the mention of using a gun. "Certainly." she replied. The Doctor gave a disapproving glance at Vastra. Madame Vastra ignored his glare and continued on explaining the case. "There is a man that we have been investigating that we believe is not human." "Not human?" River raised an eyebrow. The Doctor folded his arms and frowned. "So what, an alien living in Victorian London, like that hasn't happened before. Is he doing any harm? No? Leave him be." 

The others ignored his comments. They knew that he was more than interested in the case but wanted to avoid putting River in any sort of danger. "The plan is to trail him and figure out where he is from and what he is doing here." Jenny added. "And needing a gun?" River implored. "To dispose of that hideous scum." Strax shouted. Vastra reprimanded him with a look. "For safety purposes. We don't know how much of a threat this alien could be." She clarified. "Brilliant." the Doctor grumbled under his breath. 

Soon they were out on the streets of London, tracking a supposed alien. It didn't take long to find the man. They discreetly followed him as he ran his errands. He seemed normal for the most part but there was something odd about him. There were little things in his behavior that set him apart from others. Despite them being discreet, the man seemed to realize they were following him. His behavior turned nervous and the group decided to confront him before anything unpredictable happened. 

"Pardon us." Jenny kindly said to get his attention. They had corralled him into an empty alleyway. "We mean you no harm, we just noticed you aren't from around here." The others hoped her sweet tone would set the man at ease. The man stood in a nervous posture, his muscles tense. "I suppose neither are you lot." was his reply. "No we're not." Madame Vastra spoke. "You've come to capture me and send me back haven't you? Well I won't let you." The man said. He looked ready to fight. 

The Doctor raised a hand to calm the fellow. "Easy now. Nobody said anything about capturing you and sending you back. Back where though? What species are you?" he asked the alien. The man hesitated trying to decide whether to trust them. Finally he sighed and unzipped his human disguise. River had her hand wrapped around the gun in her holster ready to aim and shoot if the alien attacked. 

With a blinding light the true form of the alien emerged. "Slitheen." breathed the Doctor. The green alien with big black eyes nodded. "And what is a Slitheen doing in Victorian London?" the Doctor inquired. "Looking for my sister. We fled our home planet. She left first and I followed." The Slitheen explained. "Raxacoricofallapatorius? Why did you leave?" the Doctor asked. "It was a bad life there. We wanted a better one." The alien shrugged. "Ah! Understandable, looking for a better life. As long as your not bent on world domination then we would be happy to help you find your sister." "You would? Thank you." the Slitheen nodded it's head in excitement. "Of course. Now why don't you put that back on." the Doctor suggested, pointing to the human disguise. "Don't want to go upsetting the humans now." 

The Doctor used the Tardis to locate the Slitheen sister. The two siblings were reunited. Case closed. No guns were needed. No danger. The Doctor was pleased to have it that way. A certain part of him though craved the danger. He needed adventure like plants needed Sun. They could go a little while without sunlight but eventually start to wither and die. Same with the Doctor. How was he ever to live in a house?


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> River goes into labor

The Tardis materialized in a reckless fashion. It spun into the room, bouncing off the walls, scattering papers as it landed with a thump. Jenny rushed into the study to see the cause behind the noise. Madame Vastra followed close behind. The Tardis door flew open and the Doctor stumbled out. "It's River. She's in labor!" he exclaimed panicky.  Jenny and Vastra followed him into the Tardis. 

River was leaning against the wall in the hallway leading from the console room. "River!? I thought I left you by the med bay. What are you doing?" The Doctor asked, wrapping an arm around her. "You worry too much Sweetie. The contractions aren't that bad. I am not that-" her sentence was cut short as she inhaled sharply. Her hands balled into fists. "Try to keep breathing. Steady breaths till it passes." Jenny instructed. The contraction passed and River relaxed. "See? Not so bad." River said. "Lets do an examination shall we? To the med bay." Vastra instructed. They made their way to the med bay. Once they got there another contraction overcame river. River did as she was told and took even breaths until it passed. She could do this she reminded herself. It wasn't like she hadn't been in pain before. 

Five hours later and still no baby. River was handling it better than the Doctor. River braced herself as another contraction hit. They had gotten a lot worse. Her eyes squeezed shut as she struggled to remember to breathe. She wanted it to be over. The Doctor hated to see her in pain. He tried to help in any way he could. "What can I do to make it easier? How can I, here let me-" he tried to comfort her. River stopped him short. "Doctor so help me if you open your mouth again I might just slap you." She said angrily. He drew back hurt by her outburst. "River mean. I don't like River like this." He thought to himself. "Doctor, why don't you take a walk." Madame Vastra recommended. "But I don't want to miss anything. I want-" the Doctor's argument was cut off by Jenny this time. "We'll inform you when it gets closer to the baby being born." She assured him as she guided him out of the room. 

The Doctor pouted about the Tardis for a while. He knew River didn't mean to snap at him. She was just in a lot of pain. He was just frustrated that he couldn't do a whole lot. River missed her husband the minute he left the room. She did want some space though. Ugh, the pain was making it hard to think straight. She didn't know what she wanted. She was glad when Jenny left to bring the Doctor back in. It meant that he would be by her side again and that the whole ordeal was almost over. 

River and the Doctor shared an apologetic look with each other. He took her by the hand and brushed a wisp of curls from her face. His grip was warm and strong. It gave her strength. River groaned. Her body painfully reminded her of what was occurring. Soon they would be parents. Soon they would have one more responsibility upon them. Soon they would be holding their beautiful child that would make River forget all the pain. 

River cried out, a sound that made the Doctor's heart sink. How many times in her life had she screamed in pain and it had been his fault. This was different though. This was a good thing. He loved River. She was so brave and so strong. She did so much for him including bringing their child into the world. "That's it. Almost done. Keep pushing." Jenny encouraged. River grunted, her face flushed from the effort. 

As soon as it was over River knew it. Sounds of excitement filled the room as the baby's cry announced its arrival. Madame Vastra placed the infant in River's arms. The moment didn't feel real to River. Their daughter looked so fragile, so human. It wasn't human though. This was the first Time Lord born in a long time. "She's perfect. All pink and squishy." The Doctor gushed. He beamed at River. "See? having a baby, piece of cake." "I hate you." She replied as smiled back. "No you don't." The Doctor cooed as he placed a kiss on her forehead. 

Vastra and Jenny gave the new parents some space as they adored over their baby. Finally Jenny chirped in. "Do you have a name for her?" The Doctor and River looked at each other. "She'll have two names of course. One which she will go by and a Gallifrien name." The Doctor stated. "We will name her Thea." River announced. "That's a brilliant name." The Doctor responded. "May I?" He asked, holding his hands out, requesting to hold the infant. River carefully lifted the baby into his arms. His chest swelled with emotion as he held his daughter. It had been so long since he had been a father. River watched him hold their daughter. She was reminded yet again why she loved him. 

Exhaustion set in. The Doctor noticed River's eyelids dropping. "I've got her. You rest now." He took her hand and rubbed a thumb over it as he spoke. "You did good River." River let her tired eyes close and soon she was fast asleep. It seemed like only minutes though before she was awoken by crying. The Doctor was nervously rocking the crying baby in his arms. "She might be hungry." He suggested. River held her arms out, indicating for him to hand Thea back to her. The baby's cries made River's heart race. There was a pull, a need to hold her baby close and fix whatever was causing the tears. She was a mother now and she would protect her daughter with her life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh goodness I am proud of this chapter. It is so sweet and beautiful! It took forever to write cause I wanted to get it right.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and River have their hands full raising their daughter. She keeps them up all night and gets into all kinds of trouble. The Doctor and River decide to live in a house where they believe it is safer.

The Doctor inwardly groaned as the crying woke him. An elbow to the gut from River made the groan become audible. "Your turn." She grumbled, half asleep. Her irritation from being woken up for the fifth time that night was apparent. The Doctor sighed as he groggily left the comfort of his bed to attend to their crying baby. 

He shushed softly in the infant's ear as he gently bounced her in his arms. There was no way she could be hungry, River had fed her an hour ago. He checked her diaper, nope. She was just fussy. He rocked her in his arms as he walked the halls of the Tardis. "There, there Thea. No need for tears. I am sure you want to sleep just as much as mummy and daddy do right now. You just haven't mastered it yet. You're new to your body, just starting, and I know that can be frustrating to figure everything out. I have some experience with figuring out a new body, you know, regeneration and everything." He smiled at his comment. 

Thea had calmed and seemed to listen to him speak. Even if she didn't understand what he was saying, she recognized his voice. "Don't worry little one. You will figure it out." he continued, "Then you will be eating on your own, and talking and walking. There is so much you will learn to do and mummy and I will be cheering you on the whole way. Never forget...you are amazing." He kissed the soft fuzz on the now sleeping baby's head. 

Instead of returning her to her crib, he climbed into bed, settling her between him and River. To his surprise, River was awake. She brushed the tiny fingers of her daughter with her own. The Doctor could see her frowning in the dim light. "You're awake." He stated in a whisper. "Am I a bad mother if I wish I could sleep through the night instead of being up with a crying baby?" River asked in a quiet voice. "No that's normal. You are so good with her. It's ok to feel tired and frustrated." the Doctor assured her. She looked unconvinced. "I thought we could try having Thea sleep with us and see if it helps her sleep better." he suggested. "Its worth a try." River said through a yawn. It worked. They all slept through the rest of the night. 

The Doctor had forgotten how quickly time passes when raising a child. Their little girl grew and grew. They soon decided it was time to get a house when Thea started getting into things. She nearly fried herself on some exposed wires. Some parents worry about stairs, they had to worry about Thea falling off of all kinds of things in the Tardis. River and the Doctor would playfully argue about which of them she got the tendency to get in trouble from. 

They chose a good sized planet, similar to Earth, to call their home. The first few months were rough for the both of them. They winced at their domestic lifestyle. They both itched to take off in the Tardis and go somewhere. It was only for a few years they reminded each other. Once Thea was old enough to know how to stay away from the dangers then they would continue life in the Tardis. Oh what parents do for their children. 

They learned to love it though. Making friends with the neighbors, buying furniture, cooking in the kitchen. They both worked as professors. They arranged their schedule to give them both time to stay home with Thea and still keep busy with work. The Doctor spoiled his little girl. She had more toys than she needed. Once Thea could walk, they knew they were in trouble. So young but ever an adventurer. 

River came home from work one afternoon. Thea ran to greet her mother, squealing with delight. Thea had just turned two. Her little pudgy body bounced down the hall, her curls bouncing too. River scooped up Thea, just as happy to see her too. She left little kisses on her daughter, making the child squirm and giggle. River giggled too as she set Thea down. The Doctor came to greet River as well. "Do I get a kiss too?" He teased. River happily obliged. "Sweetie I stopped and got groceries on the way home. Do you mind unloading them while I change my clothes?" River asked the Doctor. Thea followed her mother but then decided that was boring. River saw Thea leave the room and didn't think anything of it. 

River pulled her hair out of her shirt as she returned to the kitchen. The Doctor came in and set down a bag of groceries. "That's the last of it." he said before investigating the contents of the bags. He had hoped River had bought more fudge pops. "Where's Thea?" River asked looking around for the girl. The Doctor stopped and looked up at her. "She was with you." he said cautiously. River's brow furrowed. "No she followed me but then left. I assumed she had gone to help you with the groceries." The Doctor looked worried. "Thea." he called as he searched around the house. River did the same. 

The little girl was nowhere to be found. River could feel her heart racing. She and her husband looked wide eyed at each other then at the front door. The Doctor flung it open and they dashed outside. "Thea." They called, hoping to get a response. River scanned all around them. She saw a car drive by. A dog barked viciously from somewhere. The gang of neighborhood boys were skateboarding around making River edgy. Suddenly their peaceful neighborhood seemed dangerous. "She couldn't have gotten far. I'll look this way. You look that way." He said pointing. 

They went their separate ways to find their missing daughter. River feared that something happened to Thea or that someone had taken her. An image of Madame Korivian holding Thea, a sneer on the woman's face, flashed in River's mind. An icy chill ran down her spine. River went around the side of the fourth house down. To her immense relief, standing there amongst the neighbor's flower patch was Thea. 

The two year old held up the few flowers she had picked, oblivious to the panic she had caused. River dropped to her knees and grabbed her daughter, holding her tight. Her hands shook as she held Thea. "Oh Thea I'm so glad you're alright." She released her grip a bit after a moment. "Mommy ok?" The little girl asked her mother. River realized she was worrying Thea. She nodded. "Yes mommy is ok. You just scared mommy when I couldn't find you." Thea looked at the flowers she had picked without permission. She held them out to River hoping it would make everything better. 

They walked back home, River holding Thea safe in her arms. She saw the Doctor and called to get his attention. He rushed over and took Thea from River's arms. River studied the creases in his brow as he hugged Thea tightly. She felt better knowing that the Doctor loved their daughter just as fiercely as she did and would protect her against anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was so fun to write my favorite couple as parents. I tried to do a bit of foreshadowing if you can guess what will happen next. Also I hope I am staying in character with the characters. I am putting them in positions that I don't know how they would react.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are good until Thea gets kidnapped.

The Doctor walked with Thea to the park. She was three now and seemed to have a worse attitude than when she was two. The Doctor found her defiance frustrating yet adorable. The way her face scrunched up when she pouted, the fire in those young green eyes when she threw a fit. There was so much of River in her. The curls made her look like a spitting image of her mother. She is like him too. River says that Thea inherited the Doctor's curiosity for everything. Like that is a bad thing. The Doctor scoffed to himself. Honestly, that's the best thing there is. 

Thea's curiosity caused her to stop walking and examine something on the ground. The Doctor watched her pick up the feather and study it for a bit. "Here daddy." the toddler handed him her newest discovery. He put it in his pocket like he did for all her other treasures she would find when they went out. They would then empty his pockets and they would show mommy what they had found that day. The Doctor could hardly wait until Thea was old enough for a trip in the Tardis. His heart ached to show his daughter the wonders of the universe. 

River had to work late that night. When she came home she found the Doctor and Thea asleep on the couch. A storybook lay on the floor beside them. River gently lifted Thea from the Doctor's lap. The Doctor jerked awake. River put a finger to her lips and pointed to Thea to indicate him to stay quiet. River tucked her daughter into bed. 

The Doctor was waiting for her in their room when she was done. "How was work?" he asked. He was leaning against the wall, his thumbs tucked behind his suspenders. "It was good." River replied, removing her earrings. She could read the Doctor like a book, she knew him so well. He was looking at her with those soft puppy dog eyes. He wanted something. 

The Doctor moved behind her and undid her necklace. He unzipped the back of her dress and kissed her shoulder. River slipped out of her dress, letting it fell to the floor. Instead of reaching for her though, the Doctor grabbed her silk robe and handed to her. Confused, River put it on. Perhaps she was wrong about the Doctor's intentions. "What did you and Thea do today?" she asked casually. She left her robe open. 

The Doctor removed his suspenders as he got undressed for bed. "We went to the park. She wanted to stay awake to show you her treasures she found but will have to show you in the morning before we leave." He started undoing his shirt buttons. River's gaze roamed over his lean form. Once the idea was in her head she had trouble letting it go. 

She stepped closer to help him unbutton his shirt. The Doctor grabbed her hands to stop her when she reached his pants. "River? I need to ask you something." "Oh sweetie can't it wait?" she whined, pressing her body against his and looking up at him. He pondered his reply. River saw that what he wanted to ask was important to him. She eased off and let him speak his mind. 

He sat on their bed. River stood over him, her arms resting on his shoulders. The Doctor rested his hands on his wife's waist. "River how would you feel about showing Thea the Tardis? We won't go anywhere, just show her the inside." River shifted her weight. "She is too young to understand what the Tardis is though." She responded. The Doctor shrugged. "She should grow up knowing who she is." 

River ran her fingers through the Doctor's hair as she thought about it. She supposed there was no danger in Thea seeing the Tardis and learning she was a Time Lord. "You're right dear. I approve of your idea. Just like your idea of going to the carnival tomorrow, I think Thea will like that." "The rides are nothing compared to the park on Koolampost but it will do." the Doctor shrugged. "Good. Now that that is out of the way...." She said, as she kissed him lustfully. 

The Doctor jumped awake, waking River. He sat listening. Alarmed, River strained her ears to hear anything. There was a crashing sound, like glass breaking. The Doctor was on his feet. River grabbed a pistol from behind the headboard, the Doctor his Sonic Screwdriver from his nightstand. They ran to Thea's room. 

A cloaked figure jumped out of the broken window. They landed on a type of hover vehicle. "They took Thea." River shouted in panic. The Doctor's terror stricken gaze looked at Thea's empty bed, then River, then at the window. River aimed her pistol out the window at the hover vehicle speeding away. She didn't shoot though. She didn't want to risk hitting her daughter. "Do something you idiot!" She shouted at the Doctor. 

The Doctor was already running towards the door. River followed him through the house and to the backyard to the Tardis. The Tardis welcomed them with a whirl of lights. It was glad to see them. "Ok old girl, I hope your ready for a chase." The Doctor told the ship as he grabbed the scanner. "What are the coordinates?" River asked, ready to handle the controls. "I used the Sonic Screwdriver to track them. They headed to a larger ship a few miles East of here. Here's the coordinates." He said showing River the scanner. She pressed a number of buttons and pulled a couple levers and they where off to rescue their little girl. 

"Wait, what? No no no. Where?" The Doctor shouted at the scanner. "Doctor? What is it?" "The ship. It's vanished. It's not showing up on the scanner anymore." The Doctor replied, frustrated. They landed. They rushed out and sure enough there was no ship. River rushed back into the Tardis and checked the scanner again, praying it would reveal the ship that taken their daughter. The Doctor was outside scanning the area with his Sonic Screwdriver. Perhaps the ship was cloaked from being detected. Perhaps it had left and he could pick up traces of it and track it again. The Sonic Screwdriver wasn't picking up anything. 

He angrily closed it and stormed back to the Tardis. River moved aside to let him try his luck with the scanner. She could see the rage building with each second he couldn't get results. The Doctor slammed his fist in the console and shouted in frustration. River felt the same rage burning within her mixed with dread of losing her daughter. She waited as he stood, his head hung and his arms braced against the console. He would have a plan, she told herself. He always has a plan, always comes through. He will save the day. He has to. He's the Doctor. 

After a tense moment of silence, River spoke up. "Who could have it been? Who would have taken her? Madame Korivian?" The Doctor sighed and pulled a hand down his face in distress. "It could have been a number of our enemies that did this." "Then we will track down every last one of them. We will find Thea even if I have to tear the universe apart to find her." River replied, her tone sounding as dangerous as her threat. The Doctor reached into his pocket. He pulled out a feather, the one Thea had found at the park. He looked up at River. He was on the same page. There was no safe place in the universe the kidnappers could hide. The Oncoming Storm and the Child of the Tardis were coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aren't they just adorable? I was going to scrap the bedroom scene but kept it. I was relieved that there is adventure and the Tardis is back in the story again. It feels more like it should be.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The universe is in chaos until the Doctor and River find their daughter. They do but it's not how they expect.

A Sontarian solider made it's rounds of the compound. It was on edge lately. Every one seemed to be on edge lately. The universe itself was unnerved. The solider retired from its post and returned to the common room. 

His fellow Sontarians motioned him over. They sat around a table. "Anything unusual to report?" one of them asked. "Negative." The soldier replied as he settled next to the others. "You really think the rumors are true? You don't think he would come here do you?" another Sontarian questioned the group. The soldier shrugged. "The Doctor is one of our most dangerous enemies. If he has gone berserk like people are saying then it is best to be cautious." 

The Sontarans could sleep easy at least one more night because the Doctor was busy somewhere else. A commotion was taking place on the planet Mirphak. An army on Mirphak surrounded a blue box. Guns raised as the doors of the Tardis opened. The Doctor walked out. "Let's make this simple and quick shall we, the wife's in a mood and I'm not up for much of a chat either." He spoke to the people with guns pointed at him.

A singular alien assumed authority by stepping forward. "What is it you want?" The alien asked. "I wish to speak with your leader." The Doctor replied, his hands clasped behind his back. He gave the alien a dark look as he spoke. The alien mirrored the Doctor's hard posture. "I can't allow that. Our President's safety would be put in jeopardy if we let anyone in to meet with her." The Doctor paced. "Well perhaps I can persuade you." he replied. 

At Doctor's words, River stepped out of the Tardis. She pulled a young girl with her. The army murmured in surprise at the sight of the girl. The Doctor smirked. "That's right, we have the President's daughter. Don't worry, we intend to return her safely, as long as we are allowed to meet with your President." The Doctor stared down the alien in command, waiting for a reply. "Have we reached an agreement?" he asked louder when no reply came. The alien finally dropped his posture. "Very well. Soldiers! Let them through." The alien commanded the army. The soldiers lowered their guns and parted so they could get into the palace. 

The President watched as two strangers marched into the room with her daughter in tow. Relief crossed her face but she kept her composure. "Madame President, these people wish to meet with you as a negotiation for the return of your daughter." The alien commander informed the leader. "Leave us." The President commanded her soldiers in a short tone. The commander hesitated then commanded everyone else out of the room. 

As soon as the doors closed, the Doctor and River relaxed. River let go of the girl and gave her a gentle push towards her mother. The leader of Mirphak showed a smile to her daughter as she ran to her. She then straightened again as the girl stood safely behind her. 

"Before I ask what you want, I need to know what kind of people I am dealing with. What kind of people kidnap a innocent girl and use her as a negotiation item. You two don't look like malicious criminals." The President inquired. River was the one to answer. "We too know what it feels like to have a daughter kidnapped. Unlike ours, yours was returned safe and sound to you. We came here on a rumor that the headless monks had been here. We apologize for using your daughter but I hope you understand where we are coming from." 

The President stared at them. She was baffled by them. They were dangerous no doubt but she didn't fear them. She also felt pity for them. They weren't after money or power but their missing child. "There is no account of the Headless Monks being on this planet, nor do I know who they are." The President told them. She watched the two strangers share a disappointed look. 

The man turned and spoke to her. "Do you know anything about the Time Lords or anyone who would want to threaten them?" "The Time Lords? They are nothing but an ancient legend. Except for one called the Doctor. History claims he visited this planet at one time." The President informed them. The Doctor gave River a small smirk. "Do you mind if we have a look around? Perhaps someone will know secrets that you are unaware of." River requested. 

The President granted their request and the Doctor and River made their way out of the palace. "You think the Headless Monks came here in secret?" the Doctor asked River as they walked through the palace. "Let's ask around and see if anyone has seen anything suspicious. If not then we can check this place of our list." River replied. 

They had been to demon's run, Roxacoricofalipatorius, and they even dared to visit Skaro. They tracked down the Racnoss, Saturnyns, and visited the ice warriors. A lead had brought them to Mirphak saying that the Headless Monks were here or had been. The Headless Monks worked with the Silence at the time River was born. They wondered what the monks would be doing here. 

They walked out of the palace to find a surprise waiting for them. A spaceship was parked out front. Among it were Judoons. The Judoons grunted and snorted as they surrounded them. "You are under arrest. We have come to take you to the Shadow Proclamation." The nearest one informed them. The Judoons escorted the Doctor and River to the spaceship. 

"Oh great. I knew you went a little to far with the destruction on demon's run." The Doctor blamed River. "Me? Who was the one that used a shock method to get the Racnoss to cooperate? It was also your idea to kidnap that child." River bickered back. "Well that might be slightly better than blowing up a ship or setting a forest on fire to get a leader's attention." The Doctor pointed out. "I'm thinking that lead about the Headless Monks might have been just a trap." River observed. 

They arrived at the Shadow Proclamation. The old woman in charge looked like she was about to chew them out. "Do you have any idea how much chaos you two have caused?" The woman snapped at them. "Doctor I expected better of you. You can't just threaten every alien race that exists just to get what you want. I should have you locked up for the safety of the Universe." She frowned disapprovingly after she had finished. 

The Doctor scrutinized her. He knew she was holding back on something."Let's be honest. What's the real reason you brought us here? We have broken none of the rules. There have been worst threats to the Universe and the Shadow Proclamation did nothing then. Why all the sudden is the Shadow Proclamation so sensitive?" The woman blinked a couple of times but maintained her poker face. "Between the two of you, you have the ability to destroy the universe." River and the Doctor didn't doubt that. There had been a few times when they had come close. 

The woman continued, "I hear the source of such chaotic behavior is because you are in search of someone." The Doctor and River responded with silence. Satisfied with their response, the woman ordered the nearby guards. "Bring her in." The word 'her' made their hearts skip a beat. They dared to hope as they waited for the mysterious person to be brought in. 

In walked a young woman with curly hair like River's. It was a darker brown though and came past her shoulders just a bit. As the girl saw them, her eyes lit up. Those eyes were a familiar green. The Doctor and River both recognized a vortex manipulator on the girl's wrist. She beamed at River and then looked at the Doctor. She cocked her head to the side. "Mum looks the same but dad, you look completely different." the young woman said. 

River and the Doctor were dumbfounded. The Doctor felt a sense of deja vu. "Is it? Are you?" he struggled to ask. "Yes! It's me Thea." the girl assured them. River and him burst into tears of relief. The Doctor pulled his now grown daughter into a hug. His eyes squeezed tightly shut. 

River remembered him reacting the same way when Thea had wandered off as a toddler. It wasn't that long ago for her and the Doctor. Over a year? For Thea it had been a longer time. River wondered how old this future version of her daughter was. She had so many questions but at the moment she was just happy to have her in her arms again. 

She hugged Thea, afraid to let go least she lose her again. When she pulled back she cupped Thea's face in her hands. She studied the woman's features, finding the ones she recognized from the three year old she had lost and memorizing the older ones. 

Now that the initial shock of greeting their grown up daughter had passed, the Doctor turned the the old woman from the Shadow Proclamation. "Care to explain what's going on?" he tested her. The woman clasped her hands together and raised her chin. "We were afraid of how desperate you would get to find your daughter so we decided to intervene." the lady explained. River's brow furrowed. 

"But the Thea you brought us is older than the Thea that was taken. We are grateful she is here safe but that means there is a three year old somewhere still out there." The lady shrugged. "You have your daughter. Why does it matter?" That comment upset River. Thea had to grab her mother's arm stop her from going after the lady. "Mum, it's ok I ended up ok."  She reassured her. "I ended up ok too but that was after...everything. Did they do anything to you? Who raised you? How did you end up here?" River listed off some of the many questions she had. "I promise I'll explain everything but right now we need to go to the Ood Sphere." Thea told them. She turned to the old lady. "Ma'am, lead us to the Tardis, we have a species to save."


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reunited time lord family goes to save the Oods.

"Planet of the Oods coming up!" The Doctor said enthusiastically. He seemed to be back to his old self. "Dad is so...young and goofy, well a different kind of goofy than I'm used to." Thea whispered to River. River gave a questioning look at her daughter. "You keep commenting that the Doctor looks different. Why? Have you seen other regenerations of him?" 

Thea watched the rotor of the Tardis move up and down as they traveled through space. "I promise I will tell you everything after the Oods. I have to be careful what I tell you so I don't mess up the time stream and what not. To give a quick answer to your question, yes I know you both in the future." 

The Doctor had been eavesdropping and now spoke. "Ok so the full explanation will have to wait but would you mind at least briefing us on why we are going to the planet of the Oods?" "The Oods are under attack by a group of humanoids who want to harvest them into slavery. The Oods saved me when I was young and I want to return the favor." Thea explained. "Saved you from what?" River asked. "The people who took me when I was three." Thea answered. "And who were the people who took you?" The Doctor asked darkly. Thea shook her head. "It's not important." she continued before either could argue. "No listen, it isn't important right now. We need to focus on what needs to be done right now." 

The Doctor and River reluctantly agreed to forget about the issue at the moment and help the Oods. "Ok so it looks like the humanoid ship is located a half a mile to the West of us. Any ideas of how to get rid of them and free the Oods?" Thea asked her parents. "I'm sure we'll think of something." The Doctor shrugged. River rolled her eyes. "That's your father for you." she sighed. "Oh but mum, you and I both know that dad always has a plan." Thea smiled. "Sweetheart, as his wife I can tell you that 'always' is not true." River winked at Thea. The 

Doctor gave them coats and they ventured out to the snowy environment. They followed the Doctor's lead and found the humanoid spaceship. They hid behind some tall rocks and observed what the humanoids were up to. Several humanoids were busy loading supplies and equipment. After watching for a few minutes they saw a group of Oods being escorted into the ship. The Oods were in chains as they solemnly walked to the ship. 

River wondered if the Doctor really had a plan. The Oods were a peaceful species which made them easy to take advantage of. Persuading them to fight back wasn't something River saw happening. "What's your plan?" River whispered to the Doctor. 

The Doctor had experiences with the Oods many times before. When he came here with Donna, the Oods had been enslaved for many years and finally revolted. An Ood revolution looked different than a human one so the humans didn't recognize it as a revolution. They thought the red eyes and the suddenly aggressive nature were a result of a disease. The real reason behind it was the Ood brain. It controls the Oods and decided that the Oods had been enslaved long enough. 

The Doctor looked around, pretending to think of a plan when he already had one the moment they left the Tardis. "We need to get to the Northern Glacier." He told them. River pulled out her scanner and found the glacier. "It looks like it is that glacier right in front of us." she informed them. The three of them stared up at the mountain of snow and ice a couple of miles past the humanoid spaceship. They snuck past the other aliens and made their way to the glacier. 

They stopped to rest when they reached the base of the glacier. Thea rubbed her hands together to warm them up. "So why did we have to come here? You better not want us to climb that thing. We have no gear." She asked the Doctor. The Doctor looked at the base of the glacier. "No we won't be climbing it. Just the opposite. We need to get underneath it. Help me find a way that leads down, like a cave." he told them. Thea found one and led the way. 

"What's under there?" River stayed behind with the Doctor to ask. "The Ood brain. It controls the Oods in a way. If I can get through to it, we can save the Oods." he informed her. "Right, ok. Is it large?" River asked grabbing her scanner again. "Quite." he replied. River located a large organic mass with the scanner and they went towards it. 

They entered a large cavern. Settled down between the ice was a giant brain. "Whoa!" Thea exclaimed leaning forward with curiosity. "Now what?" she then asked. The Doctor fiddled with his Sonic. "We need to convince it to make the Oods act out." he said. "Hey giant brain, we need you to tell the Oods to fight back."Thea shouted at the brain. "You can try shouting at it all you like but it won't work. It speaks telepathically." The Doctor told her. "Oh like the Tardis?" Thea said. The Doctor paused. "Yes, who taught you that?" he asked hesitantly. "You..did." Thea replied quietly. The Doctor and River looked each other. 

"Anyway, how do we communicate with it then?" Thea changed the subject. The Doctor returned his focus to his Sonic Screwdriver again. "I will use this to transfer my message to it." He held the device to is head. After a few seconds he pointed it at the brain. The familiar sound of the sonic vibrated throughout the icy cavern as The Doctor's message was transferred to the brain. 

They didn't have to sneak around when they returned to the spaceship. There was a hushed panic amongst the humanoids. It was like they knew something was wrong but they didn't want to admit it yet. The Doctor and his family walked up to a group of the humanoids. The aliens didn't notice them because they were too busy arguing amongst themselves. 

"Pardon us." The Doctor said to get the aliens' attention. The humanoids were shocked and puzzled by their presence. "Where did you three come from? Your not one of us." one of them asked, eying each of them. "Ah yes my apologies. Let me introduce ourselves." The Doctor replied pulling out his psychic paper. He held it up so they could all see it. 

"Intergalactic Disease Control, we got word that a craft had landed on a quarantined planet. We came to see what kind of idiots would do such a thing." The aliens shared a worried look with each other. "Quarantine?" one of them inquired. Another alien nudged the one who had just spoke. "You think he's talking about the red eyes and the foaming at the mouth." he whispered. "Yes that's exactly what I'm talking about." the Doctor answered. "Is it contagious?" the alien who whispered asked. "Why do you think this place is under quarantine? If it gets into your system you lose your mind and turn red-eyed and crazy, foam coming from your mouth and everything. It's similar to rabies which originated from Earth." The Doctor explained to them in a matter-of-fact tone. The humanoids looked even more worried. 

There was a commotion from the ship and a few humanoids ran out shouting, "More have gone berserk!" The group standing watching turned to the Doctor. "What should we do?" they asked, afraid. "We will lure them out of the ship and you can take off safely before any of you get infected." the Doctor instructed. The humanoids looked like they were about to protest. "Don't worry we are professionals." The Doctor assured them. The humanoids stood by the ship, ready to board once it was rid of Oods. 

The Doctor looked at River and Thea making sure they were ready. He then raised his Sonic Screwdriver in the air and pressed the button. The sound was like a dog whistle and all the Oods came running out. "We should probably run." the Doctor suggested as a couple dozen of red-eyed Oods charged towards them. River grabbed her daughter's hand and they started running. They heard the roar of the humanoid spaceship as it left. The speed it took off at created a sonic boom which knocked everyone off their feet. 

The Doctor shook his head and brushed off his coat as he stood. He helped River and Thea up. They looked over at the Oods recovering and beginning to stand too. "Doctor." River said concerned. The Doctor looked at the Oods and reassured River. "No need to worry. Now that the threat is gone, the Oods are peaceful again." "Thank you for helping." Thea told her parents. "Of course. Now we need to have a serious talk young lady." the Doctor teased. River knew that despite his playful tone, he was actually very serious.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thea answers her parents' questions

Thea sat on the chair, elbows resting on her knees. She stared down at her feet as she clicked the toe of her shoes together. She waited for the Doctor and River to set the controls for the Tardis. The Doctor clapped his hands together when he finished then walked over to Thea. "Well that was quite fun I think. What an adventure. The Oods." he said enthusiastically in an attempt to clear the awkwardness that had settled in the Tardis. River and Thea smiled halfheartedly. 

Chairs creaked as River and the Doctor took a seat across from their daughter. They stared at her, giving her the cue to begin talking. Thea took a breath before she spoke. "Goodness, even though you are both younger, you are definitely still the same people. You are definitely my parents." Thea commented on her parent's behavior. The Doctor and River gave a quick glance at each other. 

Thea continued. "I guess I should start from the beginning. I don't remember it too clearly but someone took me from you know. I wasn't with the kidnappers for very long, apparently only a couple of days before the Oods came to rescue me. The Oods then made sure I was brought to you." "You mean us in the future? Future us?" The Doctor interrupted. Thea nodded. "I'm not allowed to tell you much, your rules, but I was brought to you less than a week of getting taken. I grow up as if it never happened. We are like a normal family, well as normal as a Time Lord family with a Tardis can be."Thea chuckled. 

"How old are you? How long do we get to watch you grow up?" River asked her daughter. Thea rubbed her palms on her knees. "I'm older than 20 but younger then 30. I can't tell you more than that. I don't live with you guys anymore because I'm old enough to be on my own but I come visit." "What do you do on your own, I mean do you have a job? Boyfriend?" the Doctor asked. Thea rolled her eyes at her father's question. She held up her arm that had the vortex manipulator on it. "I do what you two do." she answered simply.  The Doctor rubbed his chin. 

"Ok so someone took you, you still haven't said who, then the Oods rescue you and bring you to us in the future. After that we raise you to be a bright and adventurous young woman who then goes off on her own. Oh and comes to visit her parents from the past. You seem to know the Tardis pretty well. If you can, please tell us more." Thea thought for a minute. "I can't tell you the people who took me. There are multiple reasons but the main one is that I can't be the one to tell you. It has to be the Oods when they return me." she stopped to make sure her parents understood. 

"The Tardis is a big part of my life growing up. You both teach me how to work it and what to do in emergencies. We take it all over the place and come home with only a few minutes passed." "I get better at that? Better at my timing?" He asked excitedly. "Yeah, thanks to mum." Thea replied. The Doctor's smile dropped to a frown. River gave him a sly smirk. "So why come and find us? Probably so we don't worry but why you and not the Oods?" she asked Thea. "You wouldn't have believed the Oods. You almost didn't believe me when you first saw me right?" Thea said tilting her head. The Doctor and River nodded. 

"So now what?" River asked as she looked at the Doctor and Thea. "Now I have to say goodbye. I have to get back to the future." Thea informed them. Her words saddened them. "Well let us give you a lift then." The Doctor offered. Thea shook her head. "I got it."she said motioning to her vortex manipulator. "Besides, don't want to risk interfering with your own time stream right?" The Doctor smiled in response. "Taught you well didn't I?" he mused. 

"Well then goodbye for now." he said, standing to give his daughter a hug. Thea wrapped her arms around her father. The Doctor felt a slight prick on the back of his neck. It was probably the vortex manipulator scratching him. Thea hugged her mother then stepped back to look at both of them. "Don't miss me too much. You will see me again. Love you both very much." Thea set her vortex manipulator then waved goodbye. They waved back, tears welling up in their eyes. There was a bright flash and she was gone. The sadness they were feeling evaporated. 

The Doctor moved to put the chairs where they belonged. He realized that he was already forgetting what Thea looked like. "River what color are Thea's eyes?" "Green." she replied confidently then her brow furrowed. "Right?" she wondered. She started to worry. "And her hair was it long or short?" The Doctor asked grabbing River's arms in concern. River shook her head, her mouth open, unable to answer. "I don't even remember what she was wearing." she finally managed to say. The Doctor rubbed his chin. "Doctor why are we forgetting." River asked, the panic rising in her voice. 

His eyes searched around the Tardis as he thought. He remembered the prick on the back of his neck. He felt the skin there with his fingers. "River did you feel a small prick on your neck when Thea hugged you?" She nodded, confused. "I think she did this." he told her. River rubbed her neck. "I'm not sure why or how." he went on. "I can. I can imagine why. To be honest I'm thankful." River said. "Who knows how many years it will be for us until we get to see her again. I know I will go crazy, I will miss her too much." 

The Doctor nodded in response. Then he tore away from her. "But I don't want to forget." he shuffled through a cupboard as he spoke. He found a notebook and a pen. "I need to write it down before I forget. I want to remember everything that happened with us." he scribbled furiously. River placed a comforting hand on his back and watched him write. Satisfied that he had kept a suitable record, he found a secure place for the book. "You might forget about the book and were you put it." River softly mentioned. "Probably." the Doctor said sadly. "It's time to go back to our normal time stream isn't it? Back where I'm in prison and your traveling with some bright eyed companion." River fiddled with his bowtie as she spoke, avoiding making eye contact. 

The Doctor tilted her chin up. "You are my favorite companion. These years have been unforgettable. I look forward to remembering and getting to raise our daughter together. I love you River." "Too bad I'm going to forget all that." she grumbled. The Doctor kissed her. His lips sinking into hers. This kiss was a goodbye kiss in a way. A kiss that said thank you. A kiss that said I love you now and forever. Hours passed and all memory of the secret years between them vanished. 

The Doctor dropped River off like it was any ordinary night they spent together. River winked flirtatiously at him as he waved goodbye. The Doctor sighed as he closed the doors of the Tardis. He would never admit to anyone that that woman gave him butterflies. A few buttons and switches and he was off to find his next adventure. Sitting in special place in the Tardis was the notebook where it would remain untouched for a long time before it was needed again.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thea makes a visit to make sure the Doctor goes back in time to talk to River.

The Doctor stood alone in the Tardis. Clara had been dropped off at home. She wanted to have the best of both worlds, living her life and going on adventures with him. She was a school teacher by day and time traveler by night so to speak. The Doctor didn't want to admit he was lonely when she was gone. He kept himself busy. That wasn't hard. There was a lot to be done. He had recently discovered that his home planet is still out there. Gallifrey falls no more. 

The Doctor pulled out a notepad with calculations scribbled in it. He was reviewing his work when a bright flash interrupted. Someone had just teleported into his Tardis. Instantly his mind thought it was River but he hasn't seen River in a while, at least not the living version. The person standing there looked an awful lot like her. Her brown hair just as curly. 

"Who are you?" The Doctor questioned the stranger cautiously. The young woman raised her hands in a non threatening gesture. "Don't worry I'm a friend. I wouldn't have been able to get in the Tardis of I wasn't. I'm here to make sure things happen the way they are supposed to." The Doctor confused, watched her come closer. She reached up and touched his forehead with the tip of her finger. 

Her touch brought with it a flood of memories. Suddenly he remembered who she was. "Thea!" he smiled with excitement. Thea hugged her father. "Where's mum?" she asked looking around. The recent memory of seeing the projection of River from the library ran through his mind. "Oh she's busy." he replied. He actually had no idea where the current River was. Well not the current one for him, that was the one who had been saved in the library, but the current one of River. Time traveler issues. 

"Why? Do you need her?" he continued to ask. "No, I was just wondering. I actually came to tell you something. You need to go back in time and tell mum something." Thea said before telling the Doctor what her mother had told her. She told him about the day River blew up a volcano and why. She told him what he was supposed to do and say. Hearing all this left him dumbfounded. He had no idea that this had happened. This has been the turning point in his wife's decision to have Thea and he never knew. 

The Doctor landed the Tardis where Thea instructed. He saw the volcano. It hadn't erupted yet. The Doctor pulled the Tardis door shut, leaving Thea to rest. That's the problem with time travel, you never know when to sleep. He found a good spot to hide and wait. The ground rumbled and he watched the volcano in the distance erupt. 

A few moments later he heard a motorbike. He watched River putter closer then nearly collapse off the bike. She watched the volcano for a moment before checking her injuries. A lightbulb went on in his mind as he remembered. He remembered a bruised, dirty River coming into the Tardis asking to use the med bay long ago. He recalled that she wouldn't tell him how she had gotten a broken arm. This is what had happened. 

He smacked his forehead. Oh he was an idiot. They had spent a whole week like a newly wed couple. This is why. River wanted to get pregnant.   
He watched his young wife with sympathy. He decided it was time to go comfort her. 

Thea heard the Doctor come back. She slowed down as she entered the console room. The Doctor was sitting on the floor with his back against the door. It looked like he was crying. He heard her approach and jumped to his feet. He tried to hide the fact that he had been crying. "Your crying. What's wrong?" Thea rushed to comfort him. 

He brushed it off. "Just old memories." "About mum? Please tell me." Thea softly asked. The Doctor sniffled and wondered what he should tell his daughter. It was possible that she would out live her mother. Would it be best to tell her or let her find out? He leaned on the railing. "Did I ever tell you about the first time your mother and I met?" The Doctor asked Thea. Thea leaned on the railing beside him. I've tried asking but it's a different story for mom as it is you. You always said spoilers." 

The Doctor nodded at this piece of information. "Yes your mother doesn't remember the first time we met because she was a baby. For me the fist time I met her hasn't happened yet for her. The River that you visit, who raised you, hasn't been to the library yet." the Doctor explained with a tinge of regret about mentioning the library. "The library? Oh do tell me!" Thea begged, excited to learn another part of her parent's story. 

The Doctor hesitated, staring at the floor. He jolted up with a smile on his face. "Hey I know. We should go on an adventure. Let me take you somewhere." Thea stopped him. "What are you not telling me? She asked in a serious tone. The Doctor rubbed his temples between his thumb and forefinger. "It's... I can't tell you Thea. Your mother...something bad happened there." Thea watched her father. "But it couldn't have been that bad because mum is fine now." Thea offered. "The library hasn't happened for her remember?" the Doctor replied without looking at her. His voice was hollow. 

Thea thought. Her eyes widened. She didn't want to ask the question. If she did then it would be true. The Doctor had moved away from her and was now working with the console gears. "You can change it can't you? Stop it from happening?" Thea said as she grabbed his arm with desperation. "I'm sorry Thea. I should have never told you. I keep things like this from my companions so I don't know why.." His voice trailed off. 

Thea pulled him to face her. "I'm not one of your companions. I'm your daughter. I hold a fair amount of responsibility being a time Lord just as you. I know the burden. I may be young but I have seen things. I know things." She stopped to let that sink in. "Now, can mum be saved?" The Doctor gave her a warm smile. Behind that smile was fear that she really had inherited a burden. The last words she said had made his heart sink. 

"Now Thea, you really think your old man would just let your mother die? No, I saved her. I saved her mind, at least. I saved her in a giant computer database. I just don't know what to do now. If I bring her back, how and when. If I do then she will be mortal again. I don't want to get her back to have her die again." The Doctor dropped his shoulders after he finished speaking. Thea didn't know what to say. She didn't really know what he meant when he said he saved her into a computer. 

The Doctor watched her think. He gave her some space. "Can I visit her? Can I still see her, talk with her while she's in the database?" she finally asked. The Doctor scratched his head. "I haven't yet figured out the details. I just recently discovered that she could send a projection to communicate with me." he paused. "To tell you the truth, I'm still figuring out how I saved her. Future me knew how to save her mind in the sonic screwdriver and I don't. Once I figure that out I can work on the rest." 

Thea nodded slowly as she processed everything. "Ok. I'm glad she's safe. In the meantime I'll continue doing what you two do best, having adventures and helping people. As mum always says, 'next stop everywhere'." Her comment made him smile. "You turned out all right." he said, messing up her hair of curls. Thea playfully fended him off. 

Her smile faded as she spoke again. "This is the last time I see this regeneration of you. Next time you see me is when the Oods return me." She wrapped her arms around him."Time to forget again?"He asked sadly. "Yes, but first I need to borrow that book you wrote in, the one with the memories of me." Thea explained. The Doctor retrieved it for her. "I told you about it in the future?" he asked handing it to her. 

She nodded, skimming through the pages. "I'll leave this with the Oods with a note of how to unlock your memories." The Doctor nodded that he understood even though he wouldn't remember. Thea pricked the back of his neck then teleported out. She returned to the future where she belonged. She returned home to Dallurium.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based off "The Husbands of River Song". The Doctor thinks he has figured out all the details of this event but when unexpected visitors arrive they bring a secret.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I of course tweaked the script to fit my fanfic. The "He doesn't love me scene" was so much fun to write.

The Doctor was thrilled when he saw River again. She however didn't recognize this regeneration. He tried to reveal his identity to her but she didn't seem to realize. Oh well. He figured he would spend the day with her playing along until she figured out that it was him. 

It was quite a fun and telling time spent with her. He was flustered to find out that his wife had other "husbands". He would have been more upset but realized she was just using them for her purposes. He then wondered if it was the same for him. He had thought they shared something special. Was he a fool to think otherwise? I mean, she apparently used the Tardis when she wanted, without his permission. That was something to discuss later. He then thought about all the "wives" and relationships he had in his long lifetime. Why should he expect anything different from her? 

Then he saw her with her dairy. His heart warmed that she still had it and was still using it. He asked her about it as they sat at a table waiting for their client. "What's that?" he asked referring to the diary. "My diary." River said, smiling. "One must have something sensational to read on a cruise ship." She continued with her signature River Song charm. 

The Doctor saw past that. "Is it sad?" he questioned. Her smile faded the slightest bit. "Why would it be sad?" "Because you look sad." he replied. River glanced down at the blue book in her hands. "It's nearly full." she told him. "So?" the Doctor pushed further. "The man who gave this to me was someone who knew just how long of a diary I would need." River replied. "He sounds awful." the Doctor tested. "Yes I suppose he is." River replied with a ghost of a smile. "Nobody special?" He asked, hoping for something. "No." she responded softly, shaking her head. Her response stung. He wondered why she would feel that way. Did he do something wrong? He wanted to believe she was lying. That she wouldn't want to give the love of her life away to a complete stranger. The sorrow in her gaze made it hard to tell. 

He snapped back into reality when their client came into the room. At first he let River take charge but it soon turned into trouble. He raised the bar and acted like the Doctor again. River still didn't seem to realize. She admired it though, they worked well together, bluffing their way out. It almost worked. Almost. 

They were trapped, cornered. The giant robot body of King Hydroflax towered above River. The robot was accompanied by a blue insect man named, Flemming. They wanted to know the whereabouts of the Doctor. They didn't realize he was standing next to River. The Doctor thought it best to be invisible for as long as possible so he kept quiet. 

"I assure you this is River Song, the Doctor's cohort. She can lead you to the Doctor." Flemming pointed out to the robot. "Can you be sure?" The mechanical voice of the King asked. "Bring up Nardole." Flemming requested. Upon the request, the robot body opened up and the head of Nardole appeared. "Can you confirm that River Song is the wife of the Doctor?" Flemming inquired. Nardole squinted. "Yeah. Yeah I think so. Hey can I stay up here? It's a bit stuffy down there." As a response to Nardole, the robot lowered Nardole's head back in. 

"See! She's the woman he loves." Flemming confirmed. "No I'm not." River replied. "She's lying." the insect man accused. "It's true. I'm not lying." River replied with a steady voice. The robot scanned her and found she was not lying. The Doctor was a bit confused. "But you are the woman who loves the Doctor." Flemming insisted. "Of course I am. I've never denied it, but who ever said he loved me back?" The Doctor listened as she spoke. She didn't think he loved her? 

"It is a trick." Flemming stuttered. "If this woman is in danger, the Doctor will surely come." "No he won't. Of course he won't. Scan the whole place if you want to." River replied angrily. "River." the Doctor objected. River ignored him. "Two hearts, stupid clothes. You can't miss him. He's not here.""River!" the Doctor tried again but to no avail. River continued. "God knows where he is but he's doing whatever the hell he likes and not giving a damn about me. And that's fine because when you love the Doctor, it's like loving the stars themselves. You don't expect a sunset to admire you back." 

The Doctor's heart was crushed with every word but kept it hidden. If only she would realize that it was him standing right there. "And if I ever happen to find myself in danger the Doctor is not stupid enough or sentimental enough, and he is certainly not in love enough to find him standing in it with me." River finished her outburst with a stomp and glanced at the man next to her. He was giving her a look she recognized. He was smiling but with just his eyes. 

River looked closer. She thought about this man whom she had spent the whole day with. Could it be? No way. The man gave her a small smile. "Hello Sweetie." The Doctor said softly. River expressed a mixture of emotions. She was touched and relieved that the Doctor really was there standing beside her. She also felt embarrassed that she had said all that in front of him. She struggled to find words. 

"You are so doing those roots." she said, referring to his grey hair. "What, the roots of the sunset?" the Doctor teased. "Don't you dare." River replied, flustered. "Want me to check with the stars themselves?" he asked, a wide grin on his face. "Oh shut up! You know I was just stalling." She replied, exasperated. 

The robot and Flemming were confused by their side conversation. "What is the meaning of this conversation?" they questioned. "Hush mommy and daddy are busy." River snapped at them. The Doctor was serious again. "Let's get to work." he whispered to River. "Exits?" she replied. He listed his observations. "In the event of a meteor strike, where would the best place to stand be? River asked him. 

"Meteor strike?" Flemming was lost. Ignoring him, the Doctor indicated to where River and him were standing. She nodded. "Coincidence?"The doctor asked. "Cheaper than a taxi." River commented. 

Sure enough, a meteor did strike the ship. After the floor collapsed below them, they rushed to the controls to try and save the ship from crashing. Their efforts seemed fruitless. River paused and looked out the window. "That's Delirium, the place you kept promising to take me but canceled at the last minute." "I'd like to cancel now if that's possible." The Doctor commented as he fought with the controls. "River I need your help come here." 

River realized again the danger they were in. "Here hold this." The Doctor said handing her a blue wire. "I don't see how much this is going to help." River said. "Sorry River, crashing spaceships is my job." he said, pushing a button. Light shimmered around River and she realized what he was doing. "You Bast-" her voice was cut off as she was teleported into the Tardis. "Oh no you don't" she said, directing the Tardis to materialize back around the Doctor. 

River rushed out to the controls of the crashing ship, the Doctor following her. "Get back into the Tardis! This is my job." the Doctor argued. "It's my job." River argued back. "I've been doing it longer!" "I do it better!" "River," the Doctor stopped her. "Not one person on this ship, not one living thing is worth you." River's heart skipped a beat. "Or you." she replied. The ship shook, nearly knocking them off their feet. "Darling, I think we should pop back into the Tardis what do you think?" River asked quickly. "Oh yes I think so dear " The Doctor replied as they rushed to the safety of the Tardis. They shut the doors just as the outer ship crashed into Delirium. 

The impact, while leaving the Tardis mostly unharmed, sent them flying. They both landed with a thud on the floor of the console room. The Doctor was only unconscious for a few minutes. He got up and saw River laying on the other side of the console. She was unconscious. He checked her pulse. "Indestructible as ever." he whispered to himself. 

He opened the doors of the Tardis and saw the wreckage. He closed the doors and thought for a moment. This was Dallirium. This was the fixed point in time he had been dreading. Why not make it special? He would show River how much she was loved. He would make up for everything. The Doctor switched the controls then stepped back outside the Tardis. Flames still burned from the wreckage but it was now hours after the crash. 

A young man ran up to the Doctor. He sorrowfully announced that he wasn't able to find any survivors. "I don't expect that you will find any." The Doctor assured the man. The Doctor then looked up at the twin pillars of rock. "The singing towers. You know if you were to build a restaurant here, you would make a fortune."He informed the young man. The young man chuckled. "It would take a fortune to get started." The Doctor held up the diamond that had caused this whole chain of events. He placed it in the young man's hand. "Here you go. Now build that restaurant." he instructed as he climbed back into the Tardis. 

Forward in time he went. The restaurant was now finished. "Excuse me. I would like to make a reservation." The Doctor said as he approached the hostess. "Of course! It's quite a bit of a wait list mind you." She cautioned. "That's fine." The Doctor replied. Once the reservation was made he jumped forward in time to the date of the reservation. River, still unconscious in the 10 minutes it had taken him to build a restaurant and make reservations for her. 

He changed his suit and grabbed the sonic screwdriver he had been saving for this day. Stepping out of the Tardis, he approached the hostess about his reservation. "What is the name under the reservation?" she asked. "The Doctor." he replied. "Ah yes Doctor. As a matter of fact there are a group of people waiting in the lobby. They told me to inform you as soon as you arrived. They said they have a gift for you and Dr. Song." 

The Doctor frowned at the hostess. "People? What kind of people?" he felt uneasy about mysterious people "waiting" for him to arrive. That isn't how this event was supposed to happen. The hostess looked confused. "Oods sir." The Doctor was still confused but felt better about it being Oods. He was a friend of the Oods. Why where they here? "Ah yes the Oods. Very good friends of mine." The Doctor smiled as he spoke to assure the hostess. "Thank you and when Dr. Song is ready can you tell her where to go?" he politely asked. His frown returned once he was in the lift. These Oods better not interfere with his date with his wife.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Oods bring Thea to The Doctor.

He counted down the floors as the elevator went down. The top two floors included the restaurant and the rest was a hotel. A ding from the elevator, announced that he had reached the lobby of the hotel. The lobby was grand and exquisite with ample room and seating. There were people scattered throughout the room. 

The Doctor saw them, a group of Oods, off to the far right side of the lobby. He scanned the room for any danger before making his way over. One of the Oods, he noticed, had a bundle in one arm. The rest stood empty handed, waiting. 

He smiled and greeted the Oods. The Oods bowed their heads and politely returned the greeting. "I am happy to see old friends but I am at a loss to why you would come all the way here. You could have sent me a message." The Doctor told them. "Doctor, we have come to show our gratitude for all you have done to help our kind. When we heard something was taken from you, we sought to return it." The Ood standing closest to him stated. "Taken? Something was taken from me?" The Doctor questioned. He racked his mind to figure out what they meant. 

The Ood with the bundle stepped forward. It leaned the bundle towards the Doctor so he could see what it was. It was a child wrapped in a blanket. "A little girl? Who is she and what does she have to do with me?" The Doctor questioned. The first Ood handed him a notebook in reply. The Doctor eyed it with suspicion before taking it. He flipped through the pages. It appeared to be memories of him and River together. That didn't make sense, none of this happened. His eyes caught the word pregnant and he halted to read deeper. River had been pregnant? If that were true then..." The Doctor glanced up at the sleeping girl. 

His brow furrowed and he shifted the notebook in his hands. When he did so a piece of paper fell out. He picked it up and saw something written in Galifreyan on it. "You don't remember me but you will. Take my hand and touch it to your forehead and everything will become clear." The Doctor read to himself. 

The Doctor had the Ood set the girl onto a chair. He looked at the girl for a brief moment. His gut told him that this girl was related to River. The curly hair was a giveaway. Who had written the note? Very few knew Galifreyan. Had it been him? River? He braced himself as he lifted a tiny hand. He leaned forward and brought the little girl's hand to his forehead. Instantly the memories flooded back. 

He fell down to his knees. This girl was his daughter, Thea. He remembered everything. River, oh River will be so happy to have Thea back as well as her memories. With tears brimming his eyes, the Doctor thanked the Oods. "I am curious about who took her in the first place. Would you kindly tell me so I can make sure they never come near her again?" "Krillitanes, Doctor. They sought to use her to make themselves more powerful." The Ood responded. The Doctor frowned with disgust. He nodded and lifted his eyes. "Thank you for coming all this way to bring my daughter to safety. Please let me get you a meal and a room for the night." The Oods agreed to watch Thea for the night so the Doctor could tell his wife everything. 

So the Doctor went back up to meet River. He gave her a gift. The notion surprised her. Even more so when she discovered the gift was her very own sonic screwdriver. "What do you think?" The Doctor said, pulling her to the view. "The singing towers." He explained as she stepped forward in awe. He prepared his words as she took in the breathtaking view. They stood side by side. He knew his days with her were numbered. He recalled all the memories of them together, especially the ones River had yet to remember. He pictured his beautiful wife hugging their daughter again. Bitterness sprung up. Time would soon get the best of them. River had to die. 

"Are you crying?" River asked, bringing him back to reality. Instead of the reply she expected, he spoke about the towers. "Why are you sad?" she pressed. "Why are you sad?" The Doctor redirected the question to her. "I told you my dairy is nearly full. I'm worried." She explained. "Please don't." The Doctor said softly. River gazed at the towers. "There are stories, rumors that suggest the last night we spend together is at the singing towers of Delirium. That wouldn't be true would it?" She asked hopefully. 

The Doctor kept his eyes on the towers. He couldn't rewrite time. "Spoilers." He replied in a grim tone. River let out a shaky breath and blabbered that there had to be a loop hole. "You can figure out a way around it, you always do. Even when I think all hope is lost you do that smug smile and save the day." The Doctor sighed. "No I don't, not always. Things end because they have to. Happy ever after is just a lie that we tell ourselves." River shook her head and looked at her husband square in the eye. "You're wrong. Happily ever after doesn't mean forever. It just means time. Little time. That's not something you could understand is it?"  

The Doctor smiled slightly. Perhaps he did understand. He still had this precious time to raise their daughter together. He preceded to metaphorically tell his wife how much she meant to him by explaining the towers. It didn't ease her mind like he hoped. "If tonight's all we have left." She looked up at him with sad eyes. "I didn't say that." he replied. "How long is a night on Delirium?" River blinked, afraid of the answer. A smug smile twitched upon his lips. He paused for effect. "24 years." He revealed. River gasped with relief. They still had time. "I hate you." she said, her voice shaking. "No you don't." The Doctor replied tenderly. 

It was sometime between the middle of the night and early morning. Time was relative in the Tardis. A dim light emitted from interior of their bedroom. Two figures nestled amongst the sheets. River lay resting her head on the Doctor. Both of them breathed slowly as they drifted in and out of sleep. The Doctor was eager to reintroduce River to her daughter. He had been waiting for her to ask why he had said 24 years. He will have to bring it up. The Oods would be leaving in the morning. 

He sighed. River shifted her body weight. The Doctor could tell she was awake. "River? I have to tell you something." River waited for him to continue. When he didn't, she lifted her head to see his face. He gazed down admirably at her. "Come, I need to show you something important." he said, motioning for them to get up. He led her to a room in the hotel. The Doctor knocked lightly on the door. River raised an eyebrow when she saw the Oods answer. Instead of greeting them, the Doctor walked in and over to one of the cots. On it, sleeping, was a little girl. 

The Doctor knelt down next to the girl then turned to River. "Why 24 years? This is why. She left a note." River looked at him without the faintest idea of what he meant. "Trust me River. You know her. Your memories are just blocked. Touch her hand to your forehead." River wasn't sure what to think. What did this girl have to do with 24 years with the Doctor and her. "How is her touching my forehead going to unblock my memory?" She decided to ask. "Its a Genetic memory block. Her DNA coming in contact with yours unlocks it. It was the same for me." The Doctor explained quickly. The suspense was killing him. 

River knelt beside him. She wanted to ask more questions but choose to follow his instructions. She took the girl's hand and pressed the back of it to her forehead. It only took a mere millisecond and her memory was restored. Her gaze melted as stroked her daughter's cheek. Tears silently ran down River's cheek. Her heart filled with joy. The Song family was together again and would be for 24 years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter to wrap it all up. Including an epilogue so be sure to read it. I hope you have enjoyed my story, flaws and all.


	16. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Included an epilogue because I couldn't settle on the ending. I wanted to put Nardole in it too.

Thea woke the next morning to find her parents there. The three year old was happy to see her mother but was weary of the old man beside her. Where was her daddy? "Momma." Thea said as River held her. Thea frowned at the strange grey haired man. "Momma? Where daddy?" River met eyes with the Doctor. The Doctor smiled. "She doesn't recognize me. New face." "Baby, this is daddy. He just looks different now." River tried explaining. The Doctor reached out but Thea squirmed away from his reach. River tried to help Thea understand but the girl got more upset believing her daddy was gone. 

"She doesn't understand." River said. The Doctor reached again for Thea regardless of her tears. He rested his fingers on her temples and telepathically helped her to understand. She stopped crying and stared at him for a moment. Then slowly, a smile formed. She had nothing to worry about. 

Delirium became their home. Thea grew and learned about the universe from trips in the Tardis. She loved adventure but she also enjoyed the simple days at home with her parents and Uncle Nardole. Nardole was always a good sport about dress up and tea parties. When she was older he would take her out to buy sweets and gags to play on her parents. 

Thea remained a secret to the universe. The Doctor made it that way. He didn't want anyone thinking she was the Hybrid. The Doctor tested her DNA to see if she had regeneration energy. She did. It made sense from her exposure to the time vortex like her mother. Thea learned about Gallifrey and was welcome to go there. The Doctor advised against it though. His dislike for the time lords remained the same. 

He knew Thea would have to decide for her self who she wanted to be. Maybe she would follow in his footsteps, travel with companions. The Doctor thought about his last companion. Her name had been Clara. He couldn't remember who Clara was but he felt like Thea would have liked Clara. 

When he left Delirium, he returned to Earth. It hurt. It was like losing the Ponds. He stayed on Earth for a while. Another responsibility an excuse for him to take a break. He became a professor. River would have liked that. A picture of River Song sat on his desk to remind him of all the happy memories. The Tardis sat in the corner of his office, dormant. The Doctor stepped outside late one night and glanced up at the sky. There are many secrets that hide in the stars, many untold stories about the Doctor. The story about a Doctor, an Archeologist and their little girl would live on.


End file.
